Playing sports is something most people have done, whether for fun or for a team, young or old. While some may agree that it’s more enjoyable to watch sports instead, wherever on the spectrum you lie, I’m sure you’ve heard your parents or teachers tell you, “Playing sports is good for you.” Well, researchers at the University of Exeter explored that saying on a deeper level by analyzing the benefits of male bone development from playing soccer.
Dr. Gracia Marco and her researchers studied adolescent boys who actively participated in either swimming, cycling, or soccer. There was also a control group of kids who did not regularly play sports. The scientists measured the bone mineral content (BMC), a measurement that tells you how healthy your bone is, of the subjects’ lower back and upper leg because these two areas are the most prone to fractures and osteoporosis. Dr. Marco discovered that after one year of playing these sports, soccer players had a higher BMC in those regions. This meant that the soccer group had higher bone growth, while the swimming, cycling, and control groups showed no significant differences in BMC measurements.
Image Source: Thomas Barwick
Marco and her team attribute these results to the fact that soccer players are on their feet more. This is in contrast to swimming and cycling, both of which the athletes’ feet do not support the majority of their weight. Although their study did not include more than those three sports, Marco suspects that other weight-bearing sports that require athletes to be on their feet throughout activity can also improve bone development.
The findings of this study show that it’s important to actively engage in sports and exercise as an adolescent, which is a critical period for bone growth. A lack of active bone develop can predispose individuals down the road to musculoskeletal issues. Choosing which sports to play is also important. It’s not to say swimming and cycling have no health benefits, but that other sports, such as soccer and basketball, offer different benefits. So, whichever sport you choose, it’s all about striking a healthy balance.
Feature Image Source: :”right foot”. August, 2014.bysergiok
