Effects of high-impact jumping versus resistance exercise on bone mineral content in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and non-randomized controlled trials
PubMed 40611942 · doi:10.7717/peerj.19616
What was done
Authors systematically searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase through April 2025 for randomized and non-randomized controlled trials assessing high-impact jumping versus resistance exercise on bone mineral content (BMC) in children and adolescents. Study quality was evaluated using Cochrane risk-of-bias tools, and outcomes were synthesized via meta-analysis, sex-stratified subgroups, sensitivity analyses, and meta-regression with robust variance estimation.
What was found
Across 12 included studies (940 participants), high-impact jumping significantly increased BMC at the lumbar spine (MD = 0.86, 95% CI [0.27 to 1.45], p = 0.004) and femoral neck (MD = 0.11, 95% CI [0.04 to 0.18], p = 0.001). In girls, BMC increases were pronounced at the lumbar spine (MD = 1.40, 95% CI [0.16 to 2.63], p = 0.03) and femoral neck (MD = 0.11, 95% CI [0.00 to 0.21], p = 0.04). Resistance exercise did not show statistically significant improvements in BMC (exact numerical data for resistance training not provided in the abstract).
Why it matters
High-impact jumping during pediatric growth effectively stimulates osteogenesis at key skeletal sites, providing an accessible strategy to enhance peak bone mass accumulation and reduce future osteoporosis risk.
Limits
The synthesis included non-randomized controlled trials alongside RCTs. The evidence for resistance exercise was underpowered and limited by few available studies and methodological weaknesses. The abstract does not provide exact effect sizes for resistance training, intervention durations, pubertal maturation stages, or safety outcomes.
Cited by
- supports High-impact physical activities performed during youth promote greater bone mass accumulation and bone density.