Osteoporosis is a serious health issue that mainly
affects postmenopausal women. Now, a Spanish study
has confirmed that doing exercise during puberty can
improve bone health in adulthood. In this scope,
sports such as football, handball and basketball are
better than others such as swimming.
Osteoporosis is characterised by a decrease in bone
mass and an increase in the fragility of bones and
the risk of fractures. It has been called the silent
killer owing to its asymptomatic nature and the
possibility of going undetected for many years.
One of the ways of optimising bone health and,
therefore, of reducing the risk of suffering from
this disease is through physical activity. As such,
researchers at the University of Castilla-La Mancha
have led a study that assesses the influence that
different sports have on bone health during puberty.
“With this study we wish to find out which sport
discipline promotes the greatest bone acquisition in
developing girls,” Esther Ubago Guisado, the lead
author of this study which was recently published in
the ‘Journal of Sports Sciences’, explains to SINC.
Researchers of the Management of Sports
Organisations and Facilities (IGOID) research group
at La Mancha institution analysed 200 Spanish girls
between 9 and 13 years of age. The girls were
divided into five groups in accordance with the type
of sport that they practiced (swimming, football,
basketball, handball and a control group – no
extracurricular exercise).
Two types of tests were performed: a Tanner test to
assess their stage of sexual development and a bone
density test to determine their body composition
(bone mass, fat mass and muscle mass).
To analyse the data, the participants were divided
into the following groups: prepubescent girls
(before puberty) and pubescent girls (during
puberty). Furthermore, they were compared with
regard to the four sports (swimming, football,
basketball and handball) and with regard to
practising extracurricular sport or not (control
group).
In relation to physical activity practised in
Spanish schools, the authors maintain that only 2
hours a week is not enough to assist in the
acquisition of bone mass at an early age.
Furthermore, practising a sport with a high
osteogenic effect (football, basketball or handball)
at an early age guarantees greater accumulation of
bone mass in comparison with low osteogenic effect
sports (swimming), since the latter are carried out
in an environment of weightlessness where bones
experience a lower mechanical load.
“The results reveal that sport type is a variable
that can have an influence on bone health in girls
during childhood. These data may be useful as a
method for preventing bone diseases in adulthood,”
Ubago concludes.
For more information
Esther Ubago-Guisado, Alba Gómez-Cabello, Javier
Sánchez-Sánchez, Jorge García-Unanue & Leonor
Gallardo.
Influence of different sports on bone mass in
growing girls.
Journal of Sports Sciences, 2015.
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Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM)
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Sinc
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IGOID
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