Exercises to Strengthen your Bones and Combat Osteoporosis
We all want to stay as mobile and independent as possible for as long as we can. Osteoporosis can cause our bones to fracture or break during everyday activities. And spinal fractures can severely limit mobility and lead to chronic pain. The good news is there are some easy lifestyle adjustments, including exercises for osteoporosis, that can help prevent bone mass loss and lower your risk of injury.
What Is Osteoporosis?
The word osteoporosis aptly translates to “porous bone.” During a person’s first 30 years or so, they accumulate bone mass, but after age 30, their bone mass decreases. Bones develop holes and become weaker — and weaker bones are more likely to break.Osteoporosis is linked to gender, age, family history, and race. Women are more susceptible, as are people of Asian and Caucasian descent. The loss of bone mass is also affected by one’s hormones. A lack of estrogen or testosterone or an overactive or underactive thyroid can put a person at greater risk. But one of the most preventable causes of osteoporosis is a sedentary lifestyle.How Can Exercise Help?
Bone is a living tissue. When you place force on it regularly, it grows stronger. Your body grows more bone cells when it feels the pressure exerted on it by exercise, causing your bones to become denser. To keep from losing bone mass, you will want to include a variety of exercises to build strong bones in your regular fitness routine.Best Exercises for Osteoporosis
Before you begin a new workout regimen or significantly change your existing regimen, speak to your doctor — especially if you already have signs of osteoporosis. The doctor will likely want to perform a bone density test and a fitness assessment. Those results may affect what level of exercise they recommend you begin with, but any amount of added fitness will have a positive impact on your bones. For the greatest benefits, create a fitness routine that includes weight-bearing aerobics, strength training, flexibility exercises, and balance/stability exercises.Exercises for Seniors to Consider:Strength Training
- Free weights and resistance bands
- Squats
Weight-Bearing Aerobics
- Walking
- Dancing
- Climbing stairs
Flexibility Exercises
- Stretching
- Neck
- Shoulders
- Chest
- Ankles
- Hamstrings
- Hips
- Quadriceps
- Lower back
Balance Exercises
- Tai Chi
- Single-leg stance
- Heel raises
- Marching in place
