Exercise - Protecting Your Bones: Osteoporosis

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Exercise

Weight-bearing exercise is also important. Not only does it help increase your peak bone mass, but it also aids in maintaining bone strength. Our skeletons aren't choosy; any exercise that involves working against gravity, such as running, walking, playing soccer, weightlifting, or stair-climbing, can potentially build bone. Because activities like swimming and bicycling aren't weight-bearing, they don't help strengthen bones. Generally, among weight-bearing activities, higher-impact exercises such as weightlifting have a more pronounced effect on bone than lower-impact exercises such as walking. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of weight-bearing exercise a day.

Exercise offers other benefits. It increases muscle mass, which can help protect bones from injury. It also improves strength, agility, and flexibility, thus decreasing susceptibility to falls. Some studies have found that exercise can cut the risk of falling by 25%. Additionally, findings from the Nurses' Health Study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2002 revealed that walking at least four hours a week appeared to lower the risk for hip fracture by 41%.

It's apparent that exercise during childhood and adolescence can produce significant increases in bone mineral density. However, it also seems clear that exercise among the most vulnerable of the elderly can have dramatic effects: doubling their strength and muscle mass. In other words, it's never too late to start an exercise program (see "The importance of exercise").

For women and men who are at greater risk for osteoporosis or who have already been diagnosed with the condition, exercise and a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D alone won't provide sufficient bone protection. These people may need to add medication.

Last updated:	January 23, 2007