Sitting too much? Your bones are paying the price

Falls and the fractures that come from them are a leading cause of disability and death among older Americans. Thankfully, exercising on a regular basis substantially reduces this risk. In fact, research has shown that staying active throughout life reduces the number of hip fractures experienced by older people by nearly one half.

For individuals with advanced osteoporosis, muscle-loading activities/resistance training becomes especially important because of the positive effect these exercises have on physical function and bone density. The result is improved strength, stability, balance and coordination, critical factors that go into helping to prevent falls and reduce joint issues.

Resistance training exercises can be performed using dumbbells, elastic bands or other types of strengthening equipment. If no equipment, body weight only movements such as squats, lunges and pushups also provide wonderful benefits.

The act of working against resistance places stress on both the muscles and bones, requiring them to adapt and become stronger. There must be sufficient overload in order to create this response, meaning that there should be an increase in the amount of weight lifted periodically. When first starting out, it is best to lift lighter weight loads and move slowly throughout each repetition.

Eight to 12 repetitions and one to two sets of each exercise are typically sufficient to begin seeing progress. All major muscle groups should be worked and this can be broken up into smaller segments, targeting different muscles on different days.

An example would be to do upper body exercises three times weekly, alternated with lower body exercises three times weekly.

Perform weight bearing cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise as well. Examples are walking, hiking, dancing and/or low-impact aerobic classes, activities where you are supporting your own body weight. Avoid high impact activities such as jumping and non-weight-bearing activities like swimming and biking, which although can be good for the heart, rarely provide bone mineral density.

Before beginning an exercise program or making drastic changes to an existing one, it is extremely important to discuss your plans with your doctor, especially if you are unaccustomed to physical exertion. Just as being sedentary is unhealthy, the same can be said of over-doing it, so keep safety in mind.

A healthy diet, including getting enough calcium and Vitamin D is another important way to help maintain bone density. Smoking and/or alcohol should be avoided as they are both detrimental to bone health. Your doctor or a registered dietician can advise you as to the amount of nutrients appropriate for your needs.