The effect of exercise on bone development
Exercise during growth seems to increase the BMD peak by between 10% and 20% in the loading
bones of active adolescents compared with sedentary controls [17]. This effect could be even greater if exercise
starts in prepuberty [11,18]. The proportion of BMC attained between age 11 to 13 years in girls and 12 to 14
years in boys is around 25% of the adult BMC [19]. It is also likely that exercise during this period acts in a
synergic way, with the growth-related bone development leading to a higher bone mass at the end of the pubertal
period [9,19].