The bone tissue of children and adolescents with Down syndrome is sensitive to mechanical stress in certain skeletal locations: A 1-year physical training program study Be ´ atrice Ferry a,b, *, Mirela Gavris c , Corina Tifrea c , Sorin Serbanoiu c , Anca-Cristina Pop d , Marius Bembea e , Daniel Courteix a a Clermont Universite ´, Universite ´ Blaise Pascal, EA 3533, Laboratoire des Adaptations Me ´taboliques a ` l’Exercice en Conditions Physiologiques et Pathologiques, Clermont-Ferrand, France b Universite ´ Limoges, Faculte ´ des Sciences et Techniques, STAPS, Limoges, France c UNEFS Bucarest, Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire ‘‘Dr. Alexandru Partheniu’’, Romania d University of Oradea, Research Centre on Human Performance, Oradea, Romania e Pediatric Hospital Oradea, Laborator de Genetica, Genetic Department, Oradea, Romania 1. Introduction Bone appears to be highly sensitive to mechanical constraints within the period of growth, until peak of mineral accretion is attained. An increased peak bone mass during childhood and adolescence is a determinant for a good skeletal health later Research in Developmental Disabilities 35 (2014) 2077–2084 ARTICLE INFO Article history: Received 1 April 2014 Accepted 6 May 2014 Available online Keywords: Bone Osteogenic exercise Training Down syndrome Adolescents ABSTRACT The systemic complications of Down syndrome (DS) attenuate the osteogenic response to physical activity in DS patients. Through an interventional study we showed the effects of physical training on development of bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) as well as on quantitative bone ultrasound (QUS) parameters in individuals with DS. A total of 42 children with DS were randomly assigned to either an exercising (DS-E, n = 20, age 16 Æ 1.8 years) or non-exercising group (DS-NE, n = 22, age 16.9 Æ 1.5 years). DS-E group was assigned to a program of osteogenic activities with 60 min sessions twice a week, over 12 month period. Bone mass measures were performed by dual X-ray absorpsiometry (DXA) at the spine and hip, and ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and velocity (SOS) assessed from the calcaneus by QUS device. All bone parameters had evolved with age, except for neck BMD. One year of training increased BMC values at lumbar spine (7%, p < .005) and total hip (10%, p < .05), and BMD values only at lumbar spine (4%, p < .05). Changes in BUA and SOS values were not evident following training. Trained individuals increased their motor skills measured through Eurofit tests. It was concluded that a program of osteogenic physical training may induce bone improvement in children with DS, but with a lower magnitude than that reported in the specialized literature for individuals without DS. ß 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. * Corresponding author at: Clermont Universite ´ , Universite ´ Blaise Pascal, EA 3533, Laboratoire des Adaptations Me ´ taboliques a ` l’Exercice en Conditions Physiologiques et Pathologiques, 24 avenue des Landais BP 80026, 63177 AUBIERE Cedex, France. Tel.: +33 0 473405485. E-mail address: beatrice.ferry@unilim.fr (B. Ferry). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Research in Developmental Disabilities http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2014.05.004 0891-4222/ß 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.