EXERCISE FOR HAPPY, HEALTHY BONES
Just like muscle, bone is living tissue that responds to exercise by becoming stronger; and just like muscle, our bone strength starts to decline as we age. The good news is that numerous studies have shown that weight-bearing exercise can help to slow bone loss, and even build bone strength. Exercising also helps us to maintain muscle strength, coordination and balance, which helps to prevent falls and related fractures.
The evidence shows that weight-bearing and resistance exercises is best for bone health. Let’s break it down:
Weightbearing Exercise is any exercise that forces you to work against gravity; think walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, playing sports. Generally, higher-impact and higher-velocity activities have a more pronounced effect on bone than lower impact exercises (read: a gentle walk is a great start, but a brisk walk or jog, or a combination of exercise including some high-intensity/plyometric training will do more to strengthen bone than a leisurely stroll.
Resistance Exercise is when you add an extra component such as weights and weight-machines, resistance bands, springs (like a pilates reformer). It can also be functional movements where you just move your body, like push-ups, squats, lunges and bear-crawls.
Two other contributors to bone strength are adequate and safe sun exposure for vitamin D, and calcium intake from our diet. This can be from dairy, or other sources such as nuts, seeds and leafy greens, to name a few. Check out the “Bone” highlights on our Instagram page to see some great sources of non-dairy calcium.
Want some more info?
Book an appointment with one of our practitioners in Geelong, Bannockburn and Leopold to see what you can be doing to improve your bone health.
Call us on 03 5222 6868 or book online.
