02.07.09

Higher-impact exercise, including running and jumping, is the most important type of activity for building stronger bones -- especially around the time of puberty, according to a research review.

The review, which included dozens of studies published since the 1960s, confirms the importance of weight-bearing exercise in bone health across a person's lifespan.

Weight-bearing activities, such as running, jumping rope and lifting weights, put the bones under stress. This forces the bones to respond by becoming stronger. In contrast, low-impact exercise, like biking or swimming, works the heart and trims the waistline, but puts little strain on the bones.

In the new review, researchers led by Dr. Ron F. Zernicke, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, found that a range of activities appear beneficial for bone mass and strength.

Some activities -- like gymnastics, ballet and competitive rope jumping -- have been found to boost young people's bone mass because of the "magnitude" of the stress they place on the bones.

In other cases, it's the rate of the stress - as in "power" lifting, which involves quick muscle contractions -- that appears to benefit bone strength, the researchers report in the journal Sports Health.

"There are many facets related to maintaining bone health, including genetic, intrinsic, and environmental factors, but physical activity is by far one of the strongest means to develop and maintain healthy bone mass," Zernicke said in a news release from the journal.

"In the end," he added, "weight bearing exercise -- even for just 20 minutes per day -- can strengthen your skeleton significantly."

Much of the research on exercise and bone health has been done in postmenopausal women, who are at increased risk of bone loss, osteoporosis and fractures, Zernicke and his colleagues note.

However, they write, "considerable evidence suggests that the early pubertal period provides an unparalleled opportunity to enhance bone health through various types of exercise."

"Making sure young children exercise regularly is key to developing healthy bone structures and long-term injury prevention," Zernicke said. "Regardless of age, weight bearing exercises are extremely beneficial."

SOURCE: Sports Health, July/August 2009

Source: Reuters Health, 1 July 2009

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