Bones are living tissue. They are made of collagen and calcium phosphate. Collagen provides the frame, and calcium phosphate supplies the strength. While you are young, the bone renews itself to provide for growth and structural changes in your skeleton. As you age, the bone renewal process slows down. "Osteoporosis" is the term used to describe fragile bones that fracture or break easily. Weight-bearing exercise can help you prevent osteoporosis.
How Bones Develop
"Remodeling" is the term for the cellular activity within the bone that removes the old structures and replaces them with new tissue. This occurs continuously throughout your life. Most of your skeleton is replaced every 10 years. Bones are the storage place for the minerals calcium and phosphorus. Both minerals are important for body processes, as well as for bone strength.
When your body requires calcium or phosphorus, it calls on your bones to release these minerals into the bloodstream. If these minerals are in short supply, your bones will weaken due to the loss of these strength-building minerals. Your bones, like your muscles, become stronger with increased work. If you are not challenging them to stay strong, they will weaken with time.
Exercise
Young children build their bone mass by exercising regularly. Strong bone mass when you are a child leads to strong bone mass as an adult. Regular weight- bearing exercise gives your bones the message that strength is needed. This keeps them storing the proper minerals to stay healthy as you age. The best type of exercise for bones is weight-bearing exercise that forces you to work against gravity, says the National Institutes of Health. This increases the normal load your bones carry and sends them the message to stay strong.
Types of Weight-Bearing Exercise
According to the NIH, the best exercises to build bone strength are weight training, walking, jogging, climbing stairs, dancing and tennis. Perform these activities for 30 minutes daily to support healthy bones. If you have osteoporosis or a low bone mass, consult your health care practitioner before starting any type of exercise program. Activities like situps or toe-touches can cause fractures to frail bones because of the twisting and bending motions.
Preventing Osteoporosis
Regular weight-bearing or resistance exercise helps your body maintain bone mass. Calcium and vitamin D supplements can also help you prevent osteoporosis. Vitamin D helps your bones absorb calcium, and calcium helps your bones stay strong. If you are a smoker, you should also stop smoking if you want to keep your bones healthy. The NIH says several research studies have identified smoking as a risk factor for osteoporosis and bone fracture. In addition, discuss with your physician any medications you take regularly. Some medications can result in bone loss if they are taken for long periods.
References
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services; Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General; October 2004
- National Institutes of Health: Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center: Exercise for Your Bone Health
- "Spine Health"; Osteoporosis Prevention; Donald Frisco, MD; July 2006
- National Institutes of Health: Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center; Osteoporosis Overview
- National Institutes of Health: Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center; Smoking and Bone Health
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