SynthesisEuropean journal of pediatrics2018
Soccer helps build strong bones during growth: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in European journal of pediatrics, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 52 citations in OpenAlex.
- The Relationship Between Non-elite Sporting Activity and Calcaneal Bone Density in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Narrative Systematic Review.Frontiers in physiology · 2020Pooled it
- Seasonal changes in bone mineral parameters and body composition in youth football players.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- The Muscle-Bone Unit in Male Elite Soccer Players Aged 14-19.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2025Article
- Pathways linking sports participation to bone density and geometry among adolescents: ABCD growth study.Archives of osteoporosis · 2025Article
- Severe Injuries of Former Portuguese Football Players: A Post-Career Burden?Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Article
- Bone Mineral Density in Field Hockey Players: A Systematic Review.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Different frequencies to estimate bone mineral content from raw bioelectrical impedance data in adolescent soccer players: a critical analysis.Frontiers in nutrition · 2024Article
- The Role of Oxidative Stress in Multiple Exercise-Regulated Bone Homeostasis.Aging and disease · 2023Review
- Do Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations Affect Body Composition, Physical Fitness, Bone Strength and Bone Biomarkers in Female Children and Adolescent Football Players? A One-Season Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Changing trends in hip fracture epidemiology in the Republic of Ireland: a follow-up study.Archives of osteoporosis · 2022Article
- Is it important to achieve physical activity recommendations at early stages of life to improve bone health?Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2022Article
- Quantitative evaluation of bone marrow fat content and unsaturated fatty index in young male soccer players using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery · 2021Article
- Bioaccessibility and Bioavailability of Minerals in Relation to a Healthy Gut Microbiome.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021Review
- The Mediating Role of Lean Soft Tissue in the Relationship between Somatic Maturation and Bone Density in Adolescent Practitioners and Non-Practitioners of Sports.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Structure, Intensity and Player Duels in Under-13 Football Training in Switzerland.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
- Influential role of lean soft tissue in the association between training volume and bone mineral density among male adolescent practitioners of impact-loading sports: ABCD Growth study.BMC pediatrics · 2020Article
- Lack of Association between the Reasons for and Time Spent Doing Physical Activity.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
- Sex differences in bone density, geometry, and bone strength of competitive soccer players.Journal of musculoskeletal & neuronal interactions · 2020Article
- Is Playing Soccer More Osteogenic for Females Before the Pubertal Spurt?Journal of human kinetics · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of soccer practice on bone in male and female children and adolescents. MEDLINE, PubMed, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science databases were searched for scientific articles published up to and including October 2016. Twenty-seven studies were included in this systematic review (13 in the meta-analysis). The meta-analysis was performed by using OpenMeta[Analyst] software. It is well documented that soccer practice during childhood provides positive effects on bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) compared to sedentary behaviors and other sports, such as tennis, weightlifting, or swimming. Furthermore, soccer players present higher BMC and BMD in most weight-bearing sites such as the whole body, lumbar spine, hip, and legs. Moreover, bone differences were minimized between groups during prepuberty. Therefore, the maturity status should be considered when evaluating bone. According to meta-analysis results, soccer practice was positively associated with whole-body BMD either in males (mean difference 0.061; 95%CI, 0.042-0.079) or in females (mean difference 0.063; 95%CI, 0.026-0.099).
conclusionSoccer may be considered a sport that positively affects bone mass during growth. Pubertal soccer players presented increased bone mass compared to controls or other athletes; however, these bone differences are minimized during the prepubertal stage. What is known: • It has been described that childhood and adolescence are important periods for bone mass and structure. • Previous studies have demonstrated that soccer participation improves bone mass in male and female children and adolescents. What is new: • The differences between soccer players and controls are more marked during puberty than prepuberty. • Weight-bearing sites such as lumbar spine, hip, femoral neck, trochanter, intertrochanteric region and both legs are particularly sensitive to soccer actions.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.