The value of exercise is that it maintains and can also increase your bone mineral density. The negative effect of a low mineral bone density is that it puts you at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis. Osteoporosis increases the likelihood of having bone fractures. For example, a simple fall when an individual has osteoporosis can result in a broken bone compared to another individual with good bone density and they will not suffer any broken bones.
When you are younger your body is able to make bone mass fast enough to replace what you lose. At around age 30 for women and a little later for men, you start to lose your bone mass faster than you can replace it. The loss of bone mass is what puts you at risk for osteoporosis as you get older. Bones are living tissue and they need exercise to make them stronger .
One of the best ways to strengthen your bones and prevent osteoporosis is regular exercise. Even if you have osteoporosis, exercising can help maintain the bone mass that you have. The more bone mass you have before the age of 30, the better condition your bone mass will be in your later years. Just like your heart, your muscles enjoy exercise and when you use your muscles they become stronger and increase your bone mass.
Watch your diet because this affects your bone health. Excessive amounts of protein in your diet will upset the acid balance and will actually draw out calcium from your bones to neutralize the acid. It is recommended that you do not have more than 2 servings a day of protein. If you consume a lot of salty food this can raise your sodium level in the body and having high levels of sodium increases the amount of calcium your body gets rid of in your urine,
There are three types of exercise that are specific for osteoporosis.
1. Weight bearing
2. Resistance
3. flexibility
WEIGHT BEARING
The definition of weight bearing means your feet and legs are supported by your body's weight. Examples of weight bearing exercises are walking, hiking, dancing, and stair climbing. Participating in sports like bicycling and swimming are great exercise for your heart and lungs, but they are not the type of exercise that will benefit your bone health. The reason is because when you are riding a bike or swimming you are being held up by something other than your feet and legs.
If you walk as little as three or four times a week you can positively impact your bone health. Weight bearing does not have to be high impact. If you run or jog or do jumping exercises this can put stress on your spine. These high impact exercises can lead to fractures in weakened bones. If you already have been diagnosed with bone loss, you can pick gentler type of exercises like walking, dancing, low impact aerobics and even gardening around your home.
RESISTANCE
The definition of resistance means that you are working against the weight of another object. Resistance helps with building bones mass because it strengthens muscle and build your bones. Examples of resistance exercises include free weights or a weight machine at a home or gym. You can purchase resistance tubing that comes in a variety of strengths and incorporate it into a water exercise program, the movement in the water will make your muscles work harder.
In order to get the best effects of resistance exercise, it should be done two to three times a week. This is an exercise where you gradually add weight or repetitions. It is important to work all your different muscles which include your arms, chest, shoulders, legs, stomach and back. It is also recommended that you do not do resistance exercise on the same muscle groups two days in a row, your muscles need time to recover.
FLEXIBILITY
Having flexibility to your joints will help to prevent injury. Examples of this are regular stretches and yoga.
Talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise program. This is especially important if you have known bone loss and have been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Exercise is really not a choice if you want to maintain healthy bone mass. Failure to participate in regular exercise tremendously impacts your health. Exercise is the road you need to choose to live a long and healthy life.