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Exercise a simple prescription to fight osteoporosis

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In my last column on resistance training, I mentioned that resistance training can help prevent osteoporosis by improving bone mineral density. Since the publication of that column, I have received several questions regarding the relationship between osteoporosis and exercise and I feel that it would be a great idea to put some fact-based answers out there.

First, let's revisit what osteoporosis is and how it impacts the body. Osteoporosis, literally meaning 'porous bones,' is a progressive disease that weakens bones by interfering with the normal bone remodeling process. Under normal circumstances, bone cells continually repair and replace themselves thus maintaining a steady level of bone mineral density. Without sufficient bone density, people with osteoporosis are at a greater risk for bone fractures.

So what can you do to prevent osteoporosis? While there are several prevention and treatment options, I will focus mainly on one treatment: exercise. How does exercise work? Regular, weight-bearing exercise helps build strong bones by stimulating the skeletal system's repair process and slowing bone loss by replacing old bone cells with new ones.

Exercise will benefit your bones, no matter when you start. However, you will gain the most benefits if you start regular exercise when you are young and continue throughout your life. Much of your bone mineral density is developed during your 20's and 30's, so don't wait until symptoms appear to start exercising.

It has been said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In the case of osteoporosis, if you have a family history of the disease, you should get started right away! Of course, I would be remiss if I did not mention that you should consult your physician before beginning a new exercise program.

What types of exercises are the best for prevention? Several studies have demonstrated that weight-bearing and resistance training exercises can maintain or increase bone mineral density. Weight-bearing exercises, or exercises that work your bones and muscles against gravity, include treadmill walking, jogging, running, stair climbing, skipping rope, skiing and impact-producing sports.

I recommend thirty minutes of weight-bearing exercise, five days per week. Because weight-bearing exercises mainly target the bones of your lower spine, hips and legs, it is important to couple weight-bearing exercises with a resistance training routine that includes upper-body exercises too.

When selecting exercises for a resistance routine, focus on squats, military press, lat pulldown, leg press, back extension and seated row. Circuit weight training machines are great for doing these types of exercises. A solid recommendation for a resistance training routine for osteoporosis prevention would three sessions per week of two sets of each exercise, alternating between moderate and heavy training loads. A moderate load would be six to eight repetitions at about 70% of your one-repetition maximum while a heavy load would be four to six repetitions at about 80% of your one-repetition maximum (one-repetition maximum is the most amount of weight you can lift one time with good form).

What about ellipticals and swimming? While using an elliptical or swimming laps are both a great way to build cardiovascular endurance, reduce body fat, improve heart health, and decrease the risk of metabolic diseases, they will not help build bone mineral density. I'm not saying not to do them, in fact, quite the opposite. What I'm saying is that if the goal is to improve bone mineral density, one should focus on weight-bearing and resistance exercises.

Lastly, it is never too late to start exercising. For women, after menopause, bone mineral loss happens faster. Beginning an exercise program can do more than improve bone health, it can also improve muscle strength and balance, thus avoiding falls. Falls, after all, are the main culprit of osteoporosis related fractures. If you were waiting for a reason to get started on a regular exercise program, now is your chance! Get started building your bone mass today with some weight-bearing and resistance training exercises!

Justin Ulbright is the manager at Cheney Snap Fitness and holds a master's degree in exercise science from Eastern Washington University.



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© 2011 Cheney Free Press Cheney, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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