Bone Density and Physical Exercise
Excerpt from the article "Vivez-santé, vivez heureux"
Le Journal de Montréal, August 18th, 2000

A study involving soccer players challenges the theory that physical activity during childhood growth and the early adult years brings lasting benefits to bone density and contributes to preventing bone fractures.
This study demonstrates that, on the contrary, these benefits disappear with time. Those who don't remain physically active during their entire lifetime can't enjoy continual protection, even if they practiced a lot of sports when they were young.
In this study, the bone density of the soccer players was measured. In this group, there were 22 active players and 128 former players. 138 other individuals served as controls.
The average age of the active players was 22.9 years old. These individuals had played soccer at least since puberty. At the time of the tests, they were top players. The former players had been retired since an average of 22.6 years. Slightly more than 50% of these players had remained physically active. Of the control group, 60% had a sedentary lifestyle.
As could be expected, the active players had the highest bone density. In the case of the former players in their 40's, the bone density benefit was half as pronounced as in the active players' group. In the group of former players in their 50's, this benefit was one-quarter that of the active players.
These statistics clearly show that the benefits of physical activity don't last eternally. An individual who stops being physically active loses part of his bone density. Moreover, the loss is quite significant. The researchers concluded that muscles must be exercised in order to maintain bone density.