Preventing Osteoporosis With Exercise
Like muscles, bones need exercise and activity to stay healthy.
Fear of osteoporosis and breaking a bone becomes very real for many older adults. Thankfully there’s something you can do about it.
Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become brittle and susceptible to fracture. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, 54 million Americans are estimated to have osteoporosis and after age 50. Also, one in two women will have a fracture related to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is responsible for 2 million broken bones and approximately $19 billion in related costs. Despite the high numbers of those with osteoporosis there’s hope in both preventing and treating this disease.
The hip, spine, and wrist are the areas most commonly affected by bone loss. Normal daily activity, such as household chores, can lead to spine fractures in people with osteoporosis. Postmenopausal osteoporosis is the most common form leaving many women at high risk for fracture.
The causes of osteoporosis include the uncontrollable factors of age and heredity. Everyone loses bone density with age and after the age of 35 years the body builds less new bone to replace bone loss. Heredity may help explain why some people are diagnosed in with osteoporosis early in life. A family history of fractures, a slender body build, and fair skin (Caucasian or Asian) can increase risk.
How Can Osteoporosis Be Treated?
Controllable factors related to osteoporosis include nutrition and lifestyle:
Osteoporosis has been linked to poor nutrition including a low calcium diet and a sedentary lifestyle. Smoking and excess alcohol intake have also been linked, as have some medications including steroids.
How to Prevent Osteoporosis Naturally.
Osteoporosis Prevention Diet:
Steps to prevent osteoporosis include getting adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D in your diet. How much calcium you need depends on your age and other factors with the general dosing range being between 1,000 and 1,300 milligrams. Stroll through the produce section of Bert’s Red Apple Market to find high calcium foods including spinach, kale and broccoli. Enjoy the salmon fillet at Luc and you can get almost half of your vitamin D needs for the day. If you are searching for the right supplements talk with your doctor and the specialists at Pharmica.
Prevention of Osteoporosis Guidelines:
Like muscles, bones need exercise and activity to stay healthy. No matter what your age, weight-bearing exercise not only minimize bone loss but also decrease the risk of falls. Fifty percent of fractures occur as the result of falls. Performing regular exercise three to four times a week can be effective prevention and management of osteoporosis. An occupational therapist or exercise physiologist, like those at MoveMend, teach safe techniques to perform functional exercises that decrease your risk of falling and improve performance of daily activity.
You should talk to your doctor about osteoporosis if you went through early menopause, have taken corticosteroids for several months at a time, or if you have a family history of fractures and osteoporosis. In summary, it’s never too late to make lifestyle changes to address bone strength.
How common is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a very common condition, especially in older women. As long as you stay active and eat a healthy diet, there should be no worries of developing osteoporosis.
Wow! Thanks for sharing! I had no idea that your bones need exercise the same way your muscles do!
I do not drink milk at all but this information is very helpful regardless!
I didn’t realize your diet played such a huge role in osteoporosis.
Thanks for the article! I had no idea that osteoporosis could be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices!
I had no idea that eating differently could decrease my risk for osteoporosis so drastically! I have a health condition that requires me to eat a lot of protein, what are some foods that have a lot of vitamin d and calcium and protein?
I didn’t know that diet would factor into being at risk for osteoporosis. Thanks for sharing!
Great information! Thanks!
Great article! Why are women more prone to osteoporosis?
I’m curious about why people with fairer skin are more prone to osteoporosis? Very interesting!
I would love to see demonstrations of the kinds of exercises that can reduce risk of falling!
This is an interesting article! How do exercises manage or reduce the risk of osteoporosis?
Great question! Exercises that bear weight, as simple as walking, stimulate the bones to become stronger. Generally speaking, the less load-bearing exercise you do the higher risk you are for osteoporosis. Go for a walk and think about it. Your bones will be stronger for it!