{"id":19319,"date":"2017-02-17T14:20:44","date_gmt":"2017-02-17T22:20:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medicalfitnessnetwork.org\/public\/?p=19319"},"modified":"2021-07-01T16:28:09","modified_gmt":"2021-07-01T23:28:09","slug":"just-best-exercises-healthy-bones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/all-mfn\/just-best-exercises-healthy-bones\/","title":{"rendered":"Just what are the best exercises for healthy bones?"},"content":{"rendered":"

An article just came out last month in the NY Times on The Best Exercises for Healthy Bones<\/em>.\u00a0 It was interesting to say the least. The writer suggested that hopping was the best exercise to build bone but gave no context or guidelines to incorporate hopping or jumping safely into an exercise program! I decided to pull together the best information from the top researchers in the field of bone and exercise. I like to look at the groups who have been doing this kind of research for a long time.<\/p>\n

I was at a bone symposium last week and was able to ask Beth Lambright, the Oregon State University exercise teacher of all the main studies during the past 15 years if jumping rope or mini-trampolines build bone. The answer was, “No, you need 4-8x body weight impact to stimulate bone. For children this means jumping off a 24\u2033 box and for adults this means jumping off an 8\u2033 step. They progress from 4\u2033 to 6\u2033 to 8\u201d very slowly and prepare the knees and hips with step-ups, heel raises, squats, lunges and faux jumps before jumping off the steps.” So what else will give us healthy bones?<\/p>\n

1. Walking does not build bone and should not be considered an osteoporosis exercise. (However, walking is great for your heart if you keep up a good pace.)<\/strong> Palombaro KM. \u201cEffects of walking-only interventions on bone mineral density at various skeletal sites: a metaanalysis.\u201d J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2005;28(3):102-7.<\/em><\/p>\n

2. Weighted vests with lunges, squats, step ups, side lunges and small jumps 3 x per week builds bone in the\u00a0<\/strong>hip according to Christine Snow\u2019s bone research lab at Oregon State University<\/strong>. (Long-term Exercise Using Weighted Vests Prevents Hip Bone Loss in Postmenopausal Women by Christine M. Snow, Janet M. Shaw, Kerri M. Winters, and Kara A. Witzke Journal of Gerontology: 2000, Vol. 55A, No. 9, M489- M491)<\/em> They are continuing their long-term studies and the latest one should be published next month!<\/p>\n

3. Sinaki has the best long-term research on exercise for building bone and fracture prevention in the spine\u00a0<\/strong>(vertebral bodies).<\/strong> (Sinaki, M., et al. 1986.\u201dRelationship between bone mineral density of spine and strength of back extensors in healthy postmenopausal women.\u201d Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 61 (2), 116-22.)<\/em> (Sinaki, M., et al. 1996. \u201cCan strong back extensors prevent vertebral fractures in women with osteoporosis?\u201d Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 71 (10), 951-56.) (Sinaki, M, et al. 2002. \u201cStronger back muscles reduce the incidence of vertebral fractures: A prospective 10 year follow-up of postmenopausal women.\u201d Bone, 30 (6), 836-41.)<\/em> (Sinaki, M\u201dThe role of physical activity in bone health: a new hypothesis to reduce risk of vertebral fracture.\u201d Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. 2007 Aug;18(3):593- 608)<\/em><\/p>\n

4. Loren Fishman has some ongoing research on Yoga for osteoporosis and is getting some increases in BMD with<\/strong>
\n his program<\/strong>. (Yoga for Osteoporosis: A Pilot Study by Loren M. Fishman, MD. Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation. Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 244-250: 2009)<\/em><\/p>\n

Main Points for Exercising Your Bones:<\/strong><\/h4>\n