Bones, like muscles, benefit from physical exertion: making them work more makes them stronger. Weight-bearing exercises like walking, running, dancing, jump rope, basketball, and soccer are particularly beneficial for bone health.Activities like swimming and bicycling are not weight-bearing and, while great for overall health, don’t help build bone density.
Make sure your kids spend less time sitting and more time active and on their feet. A sedentary lifestyle weakens bone mass and is harmful for overall health.
 Encourage your kids to play, go for walks with them, or even simply lounge outside, especially on clear days when the sun is high in the sky.It is best to use sunscreen for most of the time that your child spends outside, but up to 10 minutes without sunscreen may help with vitamin D production.
 Provide your children with the proper equipment, and require them to use it. Do your best not to allow them to ride bikes, skateboards, or roller skates without a helmet, wrist guards, and knee and elbow pads.Safety equipment is particularly important for children under age 14, since their bones are less dense. Your teen still needs to wear protective equipment, however, even if their bones are more fully formed.
Wrist guards are especially helpful, since the majority of fractures in children occurs when they fall and try to catch themselves with their hands.
 Organized sports are a great way to maintain bone health, but can also put your child at a greater risk of injury. Choose sports that are appropriate for their size and overall health, and consult their doctor if you have any concerns about whether a particular sport is too dangerous.Always make sure they wear the proper safety equipment for their sport, including helmets, guards, and pads.
Make sure your child warms up by jogging and stretching before a hard practice or game. Talk to them about the importance of not overdoing it, and to obey their body’s limits if they feel any pain while playing. Make sure they don’t feel pressured to do more than they can.
Be sure they get an hour of exercise every day.
Get them to play outside for extra vitamin D. Human skin makes large amounts of vitamin D when exposed to direct sunlight.Without vitamin D, bones cannot absorb calcium.
Have them wear helmets, wrist guards, and other safety equipment.
Make sure they take safety precautions when playing sports.
{"src": "wikihow-all_validation", "title": "How to Help Your Kids Avoid Broken Bones2"}