Playing soccer regularly can help protect individuals against falls and bone fractures commonly experienced during old age, a new study finds."It is well known that the risk of falls and fractures increases with age as a result of weaker bones, poorer balance and attenuated ability to trigger rapid muscle force, but the present results suggest that soccer - and possibly other ball games - is an effective training method to reduce bone weakening that comes with increasing age," said lead researcher Peter Krustrup.
According to the study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, short- and long-term training increases bone mass and density as well as reflex response to a sudden push in the back, improving not only the standing postural balance but also muscle strength.
"The research shows that 70-year-old men, who have played soccer most of their lives on a recreational basis, have just as good a balance and rapid muscle strength as untrained 30-year-olds and much better balance and muscle strength than their peers," Krustrup added.
Compared to running, prolonged soccer training was reported to improve the bone mineral density of postmenopausal women more significantly.
The study found that playing small-sided games for one hour, two to three times a week increased the bone mass density and the muscle strength even in young untrained men.
Scientists urged individuals to choose a sport to practice, stressing that it is never too late to start.
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