Third-Graders Jump Away From Future Brittle Bones

CORVALLIS, Ore. —  In a playful parade around the gym, the young children tromp through Hula-Hoops, bounce off springboards and clamber atop a row of boxes, jumping and landing with a squeaky thump, thump, thump.

“It’s fun. We get to jump off boxes,” 9-year-old Alex Bullock said as he caught his breath between leaps.

For Alex and the other youngsters at Mountain View Elementary School, the last thing on their minds is preventing some of the brittle bones that come with old age. But that is exactly what they are doing.

This procession of youngsters is part of an innovative study that has found that the repeated impact of jumping actually helps build bone mass and prevents osteoporosis in adulthood.

“It has become increasingly evident that the best method for preventing osteoporosis is to put bone mass in the bank at childhood and maintain as much as you can through your adult years,” said Christine Snow, director of Oregon State University’s Bone Research Laboratory.

Her pilot study last year found that third-graders who jumped off 2-foot boxes 300 times a week for seven months showed a 5% increase in bone density. Snow said that extra density could help them reduce the risk of broken bones in later years by 30%.

A current study aimed at providing more definitive findings began this fall, involving 140 students in kindergarten through third grade. As in the earlier study, half the students jump off boxes and half do stretching exercises.

Most of the children don’t fully understand why they’re jumping, only that it’s fun.

“I don’t know,” said 5-year-old Nicholas Hunt, shrugging his shoulders. “Maybe they wanted us to get jumping exercise.”

To help the children understand, Snow has them cut two bone shapes out of paper. They use a paper punch to put holes in one of them. When they pull on the shapes, the one with the holes tears first.

“It will make your bones stronger, not weaker,” said 9-year-old Tina Griffis.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, 1.3 million bone fractures a year are blamed on osteoporosis, a progressive disease characterized by loss of bone mass and density.

More than 24 million Americans suffer from osteoporosis, and women are about four times more likely than men to develop the disease.

Snow’s research targets children because their bones are still growing and can be affected by diet and high-impact exercise. Bone loss in adults can only be slowed, not reversed.

“We’re real encouraged that this is safe,” Snow said of the jumping program, “and it can be very practically instituted in any physical education program across the country.”

On a recent stormy afternoon, third-grader Casey Higgins, 9, led the parade of 18 noisy jumpers, leaping off a large box and then two small ones, off a springboard, through hoops lying on the ground and back to another big box. The jumping course continued around the entire school gym.

After a circuit, the students rested for a moment in the center of the floor. “Sometimes I run out of breath,” Hunt said.

Then they all begin again.

Doctoral student Robyn Fuchs said she likes to change the order of the jumps and add other obstacles to keep the children from getting bored.

In addition to the exercises, Fuchs said, the program offers a wellness curriculum to help explain osteoporosis and the importance of nutrition and exercise.

Mary Kinckle said her 8-year-old daughter enjoys the program.

“Eileen likes the jumping part,” Kinckle said. “What’s happening is that it’s driving home a message about her bone health.”

Kari Rieck’s daughter, Kayli Lassen, 7, is in the stretching group, but is learning the same things in the classroom.

“She’s very aware,” Rieck said. “She explains to everyone in the family about calcium.”