Our Growing Daughters: The Facts About Activity and Adolescence

As a father of a preteen girl, I can see changes taking place seemingly in the blink of an eye. One of the more dramatic has been the adolescent growth spurt. However, it is not enough to merely observe this transformation. It is vitally important to offer necessary guidance on activity that will literally benefit the rest of their lives

RAPID GROWTH

The growth spurt for girls typically starts at the age of 10 or 11 and peaks at 12 or 13. They usually stop growing by 15 or 16. During this period of rapid growth, girls (as well as boys) tend to significantly lose flexibility when their muscles, tendons and ligaments tighten as bones become longer.

Without stretching, adolescent girls will continue to lose flexibility and become much more prone to injuries such as muscle strains or tendinitis. It is essential that adolescents, particularly athletes, stretch at least three times a week to make up for the loss of flexibility. This includes quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, chest, and shoulders.

THE ROLE OF ACTIVITY

It is known that young girls tend to become less active during adolescence. Yet activity is vital to our daughters’ long-term health. In fact, the amount of exercise a girl gets in adolescence is a critical factor in preventing hip fractures and osteoporosis later in life. Studies have shown that most of a female’s bone mass is built between the ages of 13 and 15 and is then slowly lost in the last four decades of her life.

Furthermore, according to a study by the Penn State College of Medicine published in the Journal of Pediatrics, exercise is more influential than calcium intake in determining bone strength in young women and seems to offer the best possible protection later in life.

PROPER BALANCE

As is the case with many things, there is a proper balance between not enough or too much activity – or more precisely, too much intense activity. During growth spurts, skeletal growth plates are susceptible to injury from overuse as well as accidents. Examples include a competitive athlete who practices hours each day or a child that takes a serious fall while biking or skiing.

Proper conditioning is an effective way to prevent growth plate injury. Strong and flexible muscles can protect and support growing bones. Additionally, stress put on bones during moderate-intensity weight bearing activities can increase bone density and bone strength in girls as well as help maintain it through adulthood.