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Bone acquisition during adolescence in athletes
Author(s) -
Markou Kostas B.,
Theodoropoulou Anastasia,
Tsekouras Athanasios,
Vagenakis Apostolos G.,
Georgopoulos Neoklis A.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05675.x
Subject(s) - athletes , peak bone mass , osteoporosis , medicine , osteopenia , lean body mass , sexual dimorphism , balance (ability) , endocrinology , skeleton (computer programming) , young adult , bone mineral , physiology , physical therapy , body weight , anatomy
Bone mass (BM) and skeletal size are similar in prepubertal girls and boys and double between the onset of puberty and early adult life. Sex steroids are responsible for the maturation in human skeleton, as well as for the sexual dimorphism, observed after the onset of puberty. Physical activity in childhood is critical for maximizing bone growth and thus for preventing osteoporosis during older age. Therefore, it constitutes the most effective prevention strategy available. In athletes, high‐impact loading activities have been shown to improve BM, whereas in sports requiring a lean somatotype (therefore leading to a negative energy balance), the delay in skeletal maturation and pubertal development predisposes athletes to osteopenia and osteoporosis. Although the early onset of training, the continuous intensive exercise and its long duration attenuate bone acquisition, the excess mechanical load to which these athletes are exposed from a young age exerts beneficial effects on bone formation that lead to a positive net‐effect on BM.