Musculoskeletal Benefits from a Physical Activity Program in Primary School are Retained 4 Years after the Program is Terminated

Björn E Rosengren,Magnus K Karlsson,Lars Jehpsson,Erik Lindgren,Magnus Dencker

doi:10.1007/s00223-021-00853-0

Björn E Rosengren, Magnus K Karlsson + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-021-00853-0

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Abstract

Daily school physical activity (PA) improves musculoskeletal traits. This study evaluates whether the benefits remain 4 years after the intervention. We followed 45 boys and 36 girls who had had 40 min PA/school day during the nine compulsory school years and 21 boys and 22 girls who had had 60 min PA/school week (reference), with measurements at baseline and 4 years after the program terminated. Bone mineral content (BMC; g) and bone mineral density (BMD; g/cm2) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and knee flexion peak torque relative to total body weight (PTflexTBW) at a speed of 180 degrees/second with a computerized dynamometer. Group differences are presented as mean differences (adjusted for sex and duration of follow-up period) with 95% confidence intervals. The total gain bone mass [mean difference in spine BMC +32.0 g (14.6, 49.4) and in arms BMD of +0.06 g/cm2 (0.02, 0.09)] and gain in muscle strength [mean difference in PTflex180TBW +12.1 (2.0, 22.2)] were greater in the intervention than in the control group. There are still 4 years after the intervention indications of benefits in both bone mass and muscle strength gain. Daily school PA may counteract low bone mass and inferior muscle strength in adult life. ClinicalTrials.gov.NCT000633828 retrospectively registered 2008-11-03

Highlights

Thirty percent of children suffer a fracture before the age of 18 [1] and 50% of women and 22% of men after the age of 50 [2]
physical activity (PA) intervention is easy to implement at low cost, accessible, without adverse side effects, and possible to implement on population level
We found similar developments in Bone mineral content (BMC) or bone mineral density (BMD) in former intervention and former control children during the 4 years that followed termination of the intervention (Table 3)

Summary

Introduction

Thirty percent of children suffer a fracture before the age of 18 [1] and 50% of women and 22% of men after the age of 50 [2]. This results in enormous costs for society [3]. Several risk factors for fracture have been identified [4, 5], some of which are modifiable and possible to target by intervention. PA intervention is easy to implement at low cost, accessible, without adverse side effects, and possible to implement on population level.

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