An active lifestyle helps keep bones healthy. Regular physical activity during childhood and adolescence is a critical component of ensuring bones reach their genetically determined peak bone density.
It's never too late to incorporate more physical activity into your daily routine to help minimize bone loss. Stretching your arms and legs before getting out of bed in the morning, housework, frequent stairclimbing, gardening, walking the dog, mowing, and shopping are all examples of everyday physical activities that count toward keeping your bones and muscles strong.
If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, have other chronic diseases that limit your ability to exercise, or if you have been sedentary for awhile, check with your health care provider before starting an exercise program.
Two types of exercises can be used to maintain bone density and muscle strength:
- Weight-Bearing: uses gravity and your own weight to strengthen the bones in your lower body, particularly your legs, hips and lower spine.
Examples of high-impact weight-bearing exercise include jogging, dancing, gymnastics, skating, racquet sports, and organized sports like soccer, football, basketball, track, volleyball.
Examples of low-impact weight-bearing exercise include walking outdoors or on a treadmill, low-impact aerobics, hiking, dancing, and light gardening.
: Strength-training exercises apply weight (or resistance) to specific muscles to strengthen them. Strengthening muscles improves the bone remodeling process and assists with better balance, posture and flexibility.
Examples include lifting free weights or using weight machines; more gentle forms of resistance training include resistance bands, isometrics and water workouts.
Exercise Prescriptions for healthy bones across the lifespan
Be Active and Fit - Opportunities for fitness in the community
Exeter Health Resources rehabilitation and exercise programs:
Athleticare, Synergy, Cardiac Wellness, Cancer Well-Fit, Healthreach Tufts Strong Living Program
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