Exercise your bones

Regular weight-bearing exercise helps build up bone mass in young people and helps maintain your bone strength during adulthood. The great thing is, it is never too late to start exercising, and with the right program your bones will thank you!

For those who already exercise, it is important that your program includes exercises that are beneficial to bone health. It is very easy to adjust your program to include ‘osteogenic’ (or bone building) exercises, here are some pointers:

• People with medical conditions or those who have not been exercising regularly should consult a doctor before starting any exercise program. A physiotherapist or exercise physiologist with expertise in dealing with special populations can provide advice on the most suitable and safe forms of exercise for you. 

• Weight-bearing exercises that are moderate to high impact and weight training are the key osteogenic exercises. Therefore, activities that involve lifting weights, running, sprinting, jumping and skipping are ideal. In contrast, low impact activities, like swimming and cycling, are beneficial for cardiovascular health and weight control but will not promote bone formation.

Good bone building activities include:
• strength training or resistance-training programs
• jogging/running
• jumping
• dancing
• tennis
• volleyball
• brisk or power walking