Have you ever questioned how children can run all day long and never get tired? Researchers from France and Australia finally discovered the reason behind it.
What makes children stronger than adults
Children’s muscles are able to withstand fatigue better. They recover in the same way as skilled sportsmen’s muscles do, Science Daily reports.
3 different groups were involved in the study:
- 8-12-year-old boys
- Untrained adults
- Experienced athletes
The study compared the way the 3 groups of people generated energy and recovered after physical activities.
Boys and untrained adults did not engage in any regular physical activity. The last group included national level athletes in triathlon, long distance running and cycling.
In all tests, kids outperformed untrained adults
Scientists found that children used more of their aerobic metabolism and therefore were less tired during intense physical activities.
“While performing physical activity kids can get tired faster than adults because they have limited cardiovascular potential, use less effective patterns of movement and have to take more steps to move. The study shows that children overcome some of these limitations due to their fatigue-resistant muscles and quick recover from intense exercise,” authors explained. Sebastien Ratel, professor of exercise physiology at Clermont Auvergne University, France, together with his colleague Anthony Blazevich, professor of biomechanics at the University of Edith Cowan, Australia, conducted the study.
The results of the research should encourage parents to make sure their children engage in physical activities as they grow up.
In addition, these findings will help to improve our understanding of how our bodies changes from childhood to adulthood and how these changes influence risk of diseases such as diabetes. Ratel and Blazevich are also planning to determine whether the muscle changes that they observed are directly related to disease risks.
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