It turns out that strengthening bone to avoid fractures starts at a very young age.
Physical activity, such as the exercise children get at Crossfit Kids and in school gym classes, is important for fighting obesity, but the latest research suggests it may help to keep bones strong as well.
Boys and girls ages 7 to 9 were asked to participate in 40 minutes of physical activity daily during school. Researchers recorded the children’s skeletal development, and documented any reports of fractures and compared these results with those of a similarly aged control group that completed 60 minutes of physical activity over a week.
The researchers found that during the study period, children in the group that exercised daily reported 72 fractures, while those in the control group recorded 143 fractures. Those who were physically active for 40 minutes a day also showed higher bone density in the spine compared with those who did not exercise as much. Bone density is an indication of bone strength, and the denser bone density is early in life, the stronger bones remain decades later, when natural thinning of bones weakens the skeleton and increases the risk of fractures and breaks.
To correlate these results with fracture risk later in life, the researchers also studied former male athletes in their 60s and 70s and compared their fracture rates and bone-density scores with those of healthy men of the same age who had not been trained at an elite level. The former athletes showed a smaller rate of loss in bone density on average than the nonathletes, suggesting that their bones were better able to avoid fractures.
According to the study, exercise interventions in childhood may be associated with lower fracture risks as people age, due to the increases in peak bone mass that occurs in growing children who perform regular physical activity. Increased activity in the younger ages helped induce higher bone mass and improve skeletal size in girls without increasing the fracture risk. The study highlights yet another reason why kids need to get regular daily exercise to improve their health both now and in the future.
The results confirm previous findings on the benefits for bone of regular exercise. One study found that compared with sedentary women, those who are the most active have the highest bone density and lowest risk of the bone-thinning disorder osteoporosis. Bones become more porous and brittle with age, as cells responsible for building bone become less active and can no longer keep up with the cells that destroy and remove old bone cells. Physical activity can shift this balance toward maintaining a healthy amount of bone growth, say experts.
So while fractures aren’t typically a problem for young children (unless they have a major fall), it’s never too early to start protecting against the future risk of bone problems. With this knowledge, we ought to recommend training in young years as a strategy to prevent fragility fractures at old ages. Just one more reason for children to trade in the TV for a few laps around the track.Warm Up
Obstacle Course
Skill
Squat Snatch
WOD
10 Minute AMRAP
Partner
Fence & Back Run
Squat Snatch
