Encouraging youth sports is obviously a good thing for a number of reasons. It not only helps keep your kids fit, but they are put in social situations that help build character.
The benefits may be long lasting for young ladies who take part in weight-bearing activities (running, tennis, volleyball, etc.). A new study shows that older women who participated in weight-bearing activities in their youth now have stronger bones than those who didn’t.
From WebMD:
Researchers say the findings suggest that weight-bearing exercise in adolescence may help maintain strong bones throughout life and compensate for the natural loss of bone strength that occurs in women after menopause.
Maybe the most fascinating discovery that came from the study is how the effects were long lasting, even if the person didn’t continue exercising in their adult life. Researchers say none of the women in the study did weight-bearing exercise at the time of the current study, which suggests that the benefits may last 40 years or more.