Weight-bearing exercises to maintain healthy bones

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Weight-bearing exercises to maintain healthy bones

Weight-bearing exercises, started in your youth and continued throughout your life, can help prevent osteoporosis. These exercises, such as walking, jogging, climbing, dancing, or lifting weights, help you build strong bones as a young person, and then help you maintain your bone thickness (density) as an adult. But if you stop exercising, your bones will begin to thin. Starting these exercises at any age will help prevent bone loss. It is best to do weight-bearing exercise for 30 minutes most days of the week. In addition to weight-bearing exercise, experts recommend that you do resistance exercises 2 to 3 days a week.¹

Exercises that are not weight-bearing, such as swimming, are good for your general health. But they do not work your muscles and bones against gravity and therefore do not stimulate new bone growth.

References

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Citations
National Osteoporosis Foundation (2008). Prevention. Available online: www.nof.org/prevention/index.htm.

Credits

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Author	Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH
Editor	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Associate Editor	Pat Truman, MATC
Primary Medical Reviewer	Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology
Last Updated	November 21, 2008

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Last updated:	November 21, 2008
Author:	Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH
Reviewed By:	Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine, Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC

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