Football for promotion of bone health across lifespan.

Abstract

The prevalence of osteoporosis and fragility fractures is expected to increase due to the increasing life expectancy of the population worldwide. Determinants of osteoporosis include the genetic predisposition and environmental factors, such as exercise and diet that can affect peak bone mass attainment. Peak bone mass is achieved between the second and third decade of life, with 80-90 % acquired by late adolescence followed by a decrease of approximately 1% annually from the fifth decade of life. Weight-bearing exercise has an important role on bone development and maintenance of skeletal bone mass due to the mechanical loads produced and the repetetive forces applied on the skeleton. Football includes a wide variety of intermittent high-intensity movements, which produce large ground reaction forces that can stimulate bone formation and skeletal adaptations. Cross-sectional, longitudinal and randomised controlled trials have been conducted to investigate the impact of football participation on skeletal bone health during developmental growth and in adulthood. Evidence indicates that football exercise can have positive effects on bone development and structure in both male and female children and adolescents. During adulthood football participation can maintain and improve bone health in untrained, healthy as well as middle-aged and older men and women including various clinical patient groups with evidence indicating structural, cellular and clinical relevant bone adaptations. The skeletal benefits are site-specific and adaptations are observed particularly at the skeletal regions stimulated by mechanical loads. Concluding this chapter is a focus on the scientific evidence indicating that football participation is an effective strategy to promote bone health during childhood, adolescence and in adulthood.