Assessing the Muscle–Bone Unit in Girls Exposed to Different Amounts of Impact-Loading Physical Activity—A Cross-Sectional Association Study

Abstract

Background/Objectives: In children, an association exists between muscle and bone, as well as between physical activity and osteogenesis. Impact loading is a factor in increasing bone accrual during growth. In this work, we explored the muscle–bone association in girls exposed to long-term physical activity at different levels of impact loading. Methods: Four groups of girls aged 7–16 were considered. The curricular (C; n = 22) group only had curricular physical activity at school (2 h/w). In addition to curricular physical activity, the girls in the dance (D; n = 21), gymnastics at lower training (GL; n = 14), and gymnastics at higher training (GH; n = 20) groups had 2 h/w, 4 h/w, and 4 h/w