Football beats running for improving vital bone density

Published on Thursday 4 March 2010 21:14

PENSIONERS who have played football regularly have better balance and stronger bones than men 40 years younger, a new study has revealed.

Women also reap the benefits of playing the national game, which offers better health benefits than running.

Training for just one hour twice a week showed dramatic improvements in bone density for women and elderly men in tests conducted by researchers from the University of Copenhagen.

A 14-week study of women aged 20 to 47 showed increased shin bone strength in participants.

Researchers also studied a group of men aged from 65 to 75 who had played football all their lives. They had better balance and muscle density than 30-year-old men who never played football.

Associate Professor Peter Krustrup, who led the study, said: "

During soccer training and games, the players perform many sprints, turns, kicks and tackles. This combination of actions help achieve a variable bone impact that provides a better stimulus to bone mineralisation than running."