Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when bone density decreases, and bone breaks down faster than it can be replaced. It’s one of the most common causes of bone fractures in later years and a major public health issue in America.
Women and men both suffer from osteoporosis, but the medical community agrees it’s more of a problem for the elderly, who are more likely to break a bone because of osteoporosis. Because of this, it’s important to optimize your bone health as early as possible and maintain a bone-friendly lifestyle throughout your life. Your bones are living tissue. During life, old bone breaks down and new bone forms to replace it. But with age, more bone is broken down than created, which causes the bones to become weak and brittle — a condition called osteoporosis.
Older women are at greater risk than men of developing osteoporosis because they have smaller, thinner bones, although both genders can experience bone loss. Most people don’t notice bone loss until they experience a fracture or break. But by then, osteoporosis — which affects more than 10 million Americans, mainly postmenopausal women — has already caused serious damage.
One way to lower the risk of osteoporosis is to consume enough calcium and vitamin D and stay physically active during adolescence and early adulthood. Exercise primarily prevents further bone loss later in life, although there is some evidence that high-impact exercise and strength training can increase bone density in women after menopause.
Exercise to Improve Bone Density
If you are over 50 years old and trying to preserve the bone you have and possibly build new bone tissue, what is the best type of exercise? As part of the Medication and Exercise for Osteoporosis (MEDEX-OP) trial, researchers looked at the effects of two different exercise programs on 115 postmenopausal women with low bone mass. One group participated in high-intensity resistance training and the other in a Pilates-based program. The subjects performed their assigned form of exercise for 45 minutes two times per week for 8 months.
The results? High-intensity resistance training proved better for boosting bone density. It also improved posture, functionality, and muscle strength in postmenopausal women with low bone density. The Pilates program had no effect on bone mass or muscle strength, although it improved functionality to a modest degree.
Why High-Intensity Strength Training is Better
It is not surprising that high-intensity resistance training is better at preserving bone mass than low-intensity exercise Pilates. When you contract your muscles against resistance, it pulls on the bones and causes bone cells called osteoblasts to lay down new bone tissue. It takes a certain amount of force to stimulate osteoblasts. Pilates does not apply enough force to muscles and bones to do that.
One of the best ways to build muscle strength is with weight training using barbells or dumbbells. You can also use machines, kettlebells, elastic bands, or even your own body as resistance. To get the most benefits, use a weight heavy enough that it is hard to do more than 6 to 8 repetitions. Your muscles should be thoroughly fatigued at the end of a set.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends performing weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises at least three times a week. But research suggests high-intensity strength training may be even better for bone health. In one study, seniors who did high-intensity strength training twice a week for 12 months increased their bone density by 1 percent in the hip and spine. Other studies have found similar results for both men and women.
If you have weakened bones or are taking a drug that can weaken them, talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program. Your doctor may recommend modifying some exercises or may suggest doing only low-impact activities such as walking or swimming until your bones are stronger.
Another Reason Strength-Training is Important for Bone Health
In addition to building strong bones, strength training builds strong muscles – helping protect bones by cushioning and protecting them. Plus, strength training and strong muscles help with balance, so you are less likely to take a tumble that breaks a hip.
For women, especially those over 50, strength training is critical for maintaining and building bone density, according to the National Institute on Aging. Even if you get the nutritional component right by getting enough vitamin D and calcium, your bones need the extra stimulation that strength training offers. Exercise builds muscle strength and mass and improves coordination and balance, all of which are important for bone health and reducing the risk of fractures.
Unfortunately, many older people exercise by walking. Although walking can be a suitable aerobic workout if you pick up the pace and add hills, it’s not optimal for building bone density because it’s low impact. To stimulate bone growth, you need high-impact exercise or to contract your muscles with sufficient force to stimulate osteoblasts. You can do that with high-intensity strength training.
The Bottom Line
As you get older, your body naturally breaks down more bone than it makes and that leads to a net loss of bone tissue. This process called bone resorption continues throughout life. To prevent this, you need to add new bone tissue faster than you lose it. Exercise, including high-intensity strength training and high-impact exercise, is one way to do that. Low-impact exercise has its place but it’s not as effective for reducing bone loss and protecting against osteoporosis. Weight training is important for muscle and bone health.
References:
- “High-Intensity Exercise, Not Pilates, Builds Bone in Older ….” 15 Oct. 2021, medscape.com/viewarticle/960972.
- “National Institutes of Health (NIH) | Turning Discovery ….” nih.gov/.
- Mishra N, Mishra VN, Devanshi. Exercise beyond menopause: Dos and Don’ts. J Midlife Health. 2011 Jul;2(2):51-6. doi: 10.4103/0976-7800.92524. PMID: 22408332; PMCID: PMC3296386.
- “Four Types of Exercise Can Improve Your Health and ….” 29 Jan. 2021, nia.nih.gov/health/four-types-exercise-can-improve-your-health-and-physical-ability.
- “How Does Strength Training Increase Bone Density ….” 22 Oct. 2018, https://www.poliquinstore.com/articles/how-does-strength-training-increase-bone-density/.
- Suominen H. Muscle training for bone strength. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2006 Apr;18(2):85-93. doi: 10.1007/BF03327422. PMID: 16702776.
- “Resistance Training and Bone Mass.” https://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/bonemass.html.
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