Jul 26th, 2012

Author: Avadean Lewis

Category: Health

Exercise to Manage Osteoporosis

There are things you can do to prevent osteoporosis or lessen its impact on your life. the first step toward staying active as you age is to build strong bones.

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis literally means “porous bone.” Porous means full of holes.

As we age our bones get thinner Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become very weak and are more likely to break. It is often developed over many years and go unnoticed because of a lack of symptoms or discomfort until a bone breaks.

Causes of Osteoporosis

• Lack of exercise
• Lack of eating
• Lack of stretching
• Lack of calcium
• Lack of vitamin d
• Low estrogen in women
• Low testosterone

Benefits of Exercise

Bone is living tissue that responds to exercise by becoming stronger. Young women and men who exercise regularly generally achieve greater peak bone mass (maximum bone density and strength) than those who do not exercise. Bone mass peaks during the third decade of life. After that time, we can begin to lose bone. You can help prevent bone loss with regular exercise. Exercise helps to maintain muscle strength, coordination, and balance, which in turn, help to prevent falls and related fractures. This is especially important for older adults and people who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis.
The best exercises for your bones are weight-bearing exercises. Weight-bearing exercises force you to work against gravity. Incorporating weight-bearing physical activity into an exercise plan is a great way to keep bones healthy and to meet physical activity recommendations set forth in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Adults should engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most (preferably all) days of the week. Children should engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity on most (preferably all) days of the week.

Exercise Caution

If you have health problems such as a heart condition, high blood pressure, diabetes, or obesity, check with your doctor before you begin a regular exercise program.
Consult with a doctor if you already have osteoporosis; your doctor can recommend the safest exercise for you. If you have low bone density, your doctor may advise you to avoid exercises and activities that flex, bend, or twist your spine. In addition, you should avoid high-impact exercise in order to lower the risk of breaking a bone.
When using exercise specialists, make sure they are a medical exercise specialist.