Playing ball games as a teenager can help keep bones healthy for more than 40 years, say researchers. Weight-bearing exercises such as handball, softball, volleyball, tennis and basketball keep bones strong into older age.

    The same can be said for high impact sprinting, a study on sport played between the ages of 12 and 18 found.

    Researchers from the Suzuka University of Medical Science in Japan, questioned 46 women aged 52 to 73 for the study, to be published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

    研究人員表示，青少年從事球類運動有助于保持骨骼健康40年以上。手球、壘球、排球、網球和籃球之類負重運動，可使人在年紀增長時保持骨骼強壯。

    一項對受訪者在12歲至18歲時所從事的體育活動的研究發現，高強度短跑同樣可以起到上述效果。

    為了進行此項研究，日本鈴鹿醫療科學大學(Suzuka University of Medical Science)的研究人員查訪了46位52歲至73歲的婦女。研究報告將在《英國運動醫學期刊》(British Journal of Sports Medicine)上發表。