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The earlier in your life you start building bone strength, the better – but it’s also never too late, experts say. If you have already been diagnosed with low bone density, if you’ve fractured bones in the past or if you have osteoporosis, speak to your doctor about the best workout plan before starting anything new.
For cardio, gravity is your friend
While most exercise is good for your bones, workouts that require your body to support its own weight are especially effective for bone strength, experts say. This helps explain why astronauts’ bones weaken in space and why they spend two hours a day exercising.
“Bone is very, very adaptive,” says Rebekah Rotstein, a Pilates instructor and creator of Buff Bones, a fitness program to help women build bone strength, who has worked with hospitals across the US. “It responds to external forces by getting stronger, and the lack of force will weaken it.”
If you’re new to aerobic exercise, or getting back into the swing of it – or if you’ve already been diagnosed with low bone density – start by walking, says Dr Mary O’Connor, emerita professor of orthopedics at the Mayo Clinic and the chief medical officer for the telehealth company Vori Health. Carrying hand weights can help to strengthen the bones in your upper body as well.
If you work out regularly and haven’t been diagnosed with low bone density, cardio that puts more force on your body is ideal for preserving or strengthening bone. Running and jumping exercises (for example, box jumps or jumping jacks) are good options. Workouts that involve moving in multiple directions – think dance, tennis or pickleball – are even better.
“Surprising your body with new movements, in different directions, has a better, more efficient effect in building bone than doing hours and hours of repetitive activity,” says Dr Kathryn Ackerman, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School who studies bone health.
If your bones are already fragile, high-impact exercises may put you at greater risk of fracture, “because they’re putting more stress on the bone,” O’Connor says. So speak with your doctor about what your body can handle.
Regularity is also key, since bones must be stressed constantly to stay strong. Rather than stacking workouts on the weekends, do roughly 30 minutes of daily weight-bearing cardio to support bone health.
Build muscle to build bone strength
Resistance training strengthens your bones in addition to your muscles – which, in turn, strengthen your bones more by putting additional force on them, experts say.
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“We used to be really nervous about older women, in particular, and having them do too much” or lift too much, Ackerman says. “We did them a little disservice because they got nervous to move, because they thought they would break.”
As part of her Buff Bones program, Rotstein recommends regular squats, hip hinges, lunges, calf raises, planks and push-ups – pay extra attention to form, so that your joints and bones are in proper alignment.
These exercises strengthen the muscles that are essential for daily activities, Rotstein says, including sitting and standing, bending to pick up objects and reaching for items on a shelf.
Consider free weights or machines as well, Ackerman says, but start slow. As you age, these daily activities can lead to fractures if your bones and muscles aren’t strong yet.
Boost your balance
A well-rounded bone health workout should also include exercises designed to keep you stable on your feet. This can help to prevent falls, which can be particularly devastating to your bones as you age, Ackerman says.
Single-leg balances, weight shifts, Pilates and yoga are all helpful for cultivating balance, experts say. And research suggests tai chi may be particularly effective.
If you have weak bones, avoid bending and twisting.
Finally, if you’ve already been diagnosed with osteoporosis, avoid movements that involve bending all the way forward from the waist and quick twists. “Most hip fractures in older, osteoporotic women – what we would call fragility hip fractures – happen before the fall,” O’Connor says. “So someone stands, they turn, their hip breaks, and they fall.”
”Our bones are weakest in torsion,” she adds.
But try not to let fear of fracture discourage you from moving at all, she says. With a few precautions, staying active now is what will keep you active for years to come.
The New York Times
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