You might not think of it this way, but bone is living tissue. And in a process called remodeling, it’s constantly being broken down and replaced. Many factors can interrupt remodeling, making your bones less dense and more fragile.
Factors that affect remodeling include:
- advancing age
- insufficient vitamin D
- insufficient calcium
- smoking
- lack of exercise
Why Exercise is Good for Your Bones
Regular exercise makes your muscles contract. This action stresses and stimulates the bones, which in turn makes them stronger and denser.
The three main types of exercise are:
Aerobic exercise. In this activity (also called cardiovascular exercise), you continually move large muscles in the legs, shoulders and buttocks. Examples include:
- walking
- jogging
- running
- aerobic dance
- bicycling
Weight-bearing exercise. In these exercises, your bones and muscles work against gravity, and your bones adapt to the weight and pull of the muscle. Examples include:
- stair climbing
- dancing
- soccer
Resistance exercise. Also referred to as strength training, resistance exercise uses muscle strength to improve muscle mass and strengthen bone. Examples include weight lifting using:
- free weights
- weight machines
- resistance bands
- calisthenics (e.g., push-ups, chin-ups)
Getting Started
Note: Check with your doctor before starting any type of exercise program.
Aerobic or weight-bearing exercise:- Warm up for five minutes. This can consist of stretches and a light walk.
- Exercise slowly for the first five minutes.
- Slowly increase your intensity until you reach 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate equals 220 minus your age. To find your heart rate, place your index and middle finger over the pulse on your wrist or the side of your neck. Count your pulse for 15 seconds. Multiply this number by four to get your heart rate.
- Gradually increase your workout until you are exercising at 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate for 20 minutes at least three days a week. Make sure to include five- to ten-minute warm-up and cool-down sessions.
- Begin each exercise with very low weight and minimal repetitions.
- Over a period of weeks, increase the weight, never adding more than 10 percent in a given workout.
- Gradually increase the number of repetitions, with a rest period of 30 to 60 seconds between sets.
- Do these exercises two or three times a week. Allow one day between each workout for your bones and muscles to rest and repair themselves.
- If you perform these exercises regularly, your bones should stay healthy and strong well into your senior years.
- Keep in mind that stiffness the day after exercise is normal, but if you are in pain, you did too much. If that happens, reduce the intensity or the duration of your exercise for a while, and then build back up.
