What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis (OP) is an age-related chronic condition which reflects a loss of bone mineral density (BMD) over time. This leads to a loss of strength in the bone and increases the risk of fractures.
OP is caused by a range of factors mostly including gender, age, exercise history and nutrition. Bone loss begins around 30-40 years of age and increases with age. People that are physically inactive are at a much higher risk of developing OP. A lack of important vitamins and minerals that support bone health such as calcium and vitamin D also increase the risk of developing OP.
The benefits of exercise for OP
In inactive adults with low bone mass, regular exercise improves bone health and in normally active adults it helps to prevent bone loss. Exercise can also help to improve proprioception, muscle strength and balance which can heavily reduce the risk of falling.
What exercise should I do?
1) Impact loading – Impact loading is a form of exercise that produces a stress through the bone. Depending on the level of bone loss, an individual may benefit from a low, moderate or high impact loading exercise program.
2) Progressive resistance training – When the body has to provide force against a resistance such as through a weight machine or free weights, the muscles pull on the bone which increases both the strength of the muscle and the bone. An increase in muscle mass and strength also improves balance and reduces risk of falls. This is safe for people with OP and at risk of bone loss however if the person is inexperienced in resistance training, they should be educated on technique and intensity before performing on their own.
3) Balance training – Balance training improves your perception or awareness of the position and movement of the body. It also improves your ability to re-adjust when you lose your balance to help reduce your risk of falls.
If you believe you might be at risk of developing OP or just want to increase your bone health, ask your GP about getting a DXA scan and referral to an exercise physiologist. Exercise physiologist do a 4-year university degree that focuses on using exercise to treat chronic diseases such as OP. They are heavily trained in demonstrating and prescribing exercise to safely and effectively treat OP.
If you have any questions regarding this article or feel like you would benefit from some exercises specifically tailored for your cricumstances, contact our friendly team or specifically to our Exercise Physiologist (EP).