May is National Osteoporosis Month.
Optimising bone health starts when we are young, although our genes influence the size and strength of our bones, lifestyle choices have a major impact as well. Weight bearing activities and exercises promote good bone health. Staying active and eating a healthy diet is important because it helps prevent bone loss and weakness as we get older.
Taking care of your bones throughout your life gives you the best chance of staying strong, healthy, and active as you age.
Osteoporosis can be treated, and fractures can often be prevented, yet bone health is frequently ignored. Surprisingly, only about 20% of people actively take steps to improve their bone health.
By giving our bones the same attention we give to our weight, heart, and skin—and by making small, healthy changes to our daily habits—we can strengthen our bones, reduce the risk of fractures, and maintain mobility and independence as we age.
- Women lose up to 20 percent of their bone density in the five-to-seven years after menopause.
- Half of women aged over 50 will break bones due to osteoporosis, and a fifth of men.
- Osteoporosis is responsible for an estimated two million broken bones per year
It’s never too late!
Engaging in the right types of exercise can help keep your bones strong and healthy. Two key forms of physical activity are especially beneficial:
Weight-bearing exercise with impact (No pun intended!)
Exercises with added impact; like jogging, aerobics, tennis, dancing, or brisk walking can be especially effective. If high-impact activities aren’t possible, even standing or walking for short periods throughout the day is better than remaining seated or lying down for long stretches.
Muscle-strengthening exercise
These involve working against resistance to build and maintain muscle, which in turn supports bone strength. This could include lifting weights, using resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises like push-ups.
Staying active in these ways can help improve your bone health and reduce the risk of fractures as you age. If you are at risk of osteoporosis then adaptations can be made to exercise safety. There’s a heap if information out there to guide you.
https://theros.org.uk/blog/building-strong-bones-for-life
But if you’re concerned then get in touch, we can help you start your journey.
Its never too late to improve your bone health and look at preventing your risk of injury by improving your balance and strength.
We offer Pilates, Yoga and Tai Chi classes or 1:1 sessions to support your exercise journey.
Our Pilates for menopause starts next week, a 6 week course specifically for women at any stage of the menopause journey.
References
Effectiveness of Pilates and Yoga to improve bone density in adult women: A systematic review and meta-analysis.