173. Sports and exercise increase concentration and quality of life for kids
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
A new study shows that a child’s physical fitness is related to his or her concentration and health-related quality of life. In the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, German researchers studied over 6500 boys and girls. They found the higher the level of children’s physical fitness, the better they can concentrate and the higher their health-related quality of life. On the other hand, overweight and obese children had significantly worse physical fitness, which proved to be associated with poorer health-related quality of life, self-esteem, and well-being in friendships and at school. This study suggests that if parents encourage their kids to become more physically fit, they might become more mentally fit too.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
