Bone mineral density in retired rugby players: initial findings from the UK Rugby Health project

Regular exercise that delivers impact forces to the skeleton are positively associated with bone strength. Athletes from high impact sports such as rugby have higher bone density than non-athletes (Hind et al., 2015). Engaging in regular impact exercise is widely suggested as a means for reducing the risk of osteoporosis in later life (Heinonen et al., 1996). However, to date there have been few studies of the bone density of retired athletes and none in retired rugby players.

Source: Journal of Clinical Densitometry - October 1, 2018 Category: Radiology Authors: I. Entwistle, P. Francis, P.A. Hume, K. Hind Source Type: research