Immobilization-induced Bone Alterations in Chickens

Unilateral wing immobilization was used to study bone changes associated with lack of exercise in young chickens. With disuse, humerus bone weight, diameter, cortical thickness, radiographic density, and breaking strength were reduced significantly, whereas bone length, ash, calcium, and phosphorus were unchanged. The results of this study indicate that exercise-related bone changes can best be shown by radiographic density and breaking strength, but not by bone ash or mineral determinations.