Weight-Bearing Exercise: 8 Workouts for Strong Bones
Weight-Bearing Exercise: 8 Workouts for Strong Bones
Here are the latest weight-bearing workout trends.
By Rebecca Buffum Taylor
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
What are the best ways to exercise and improve your bone health when you have osteoporosis? Try weight-bearing workouts that stress bones and muscles more than your everyday life, says Paul Mystkowski, MD, an endocrinologist at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle and clinical faculty member of the University of Washington in Seattle. Talk to your doctor and make sure the workout you choose is safe for you. Then give these latest trends a try!
1. Tai Chi
12 Foods to Boost Bone Health
If you've been diagnosed with osteoporosis you know you need to lots of vital nutrients, like calcium and vitamin D. Turns out breakfast may be the best time to give your bone health a lift. Most of the foods and beverages now fortified with calcium are start-your-day kinds of tastes: Orange juice. Milk. Cereal.Sure, the USDA puts baked herring at the top of the list of calcium-rich food. But who knows a good recipe for that? And instant chocolate pudding is pretty high on the list -- but is that...
Read the 12 Foods to Boost Bone Health article > >
Tai chi -- a form of slow, graceful moves -- builds both coordination and strong bones. A study reported in Physician and Sportsmedicine found that tai chi could slow bone loss in postmenopausal women. The women, who did 45 minutes of tai chi a day, five days a week for a year, enjoyed a rate of bone loss up to three-and-a-half times slower than the non-tai-chi group. Their bone health gains showed up on bone mineral density tests.
2. Yoga
A study reported in Yoga Journal found an increase in bone mineral density in the spine for women who did yoga regularly. From the slow, precise Iyengar style to the athletic, vigorous ashtanga, yoga can build bone health in your hips, spine, and wrists -- the bones most vulnerable to fracture.
Standing poses like Warrior I and II work the large bones of the hips and legs, while poses like Downward Dog work the wrists, arms, and shoulders. Both the Cobra and Locust poses, which work the back muscles, may preserve the health of the spine. Yoga also sharpens your balance, coordination, concentration, and body awareness -- and thus helps prevent falls.
3. Brisk Walking
One fitness trend that never goes away, walking is still hugely popular among women -- and a great way to revamp your bone health. A study of nurses found that walking four hours a week gave them a 41% lower risk of hip fractures, compared to walking less than an hour a week. Brisk walking is best, but you can adapt your speed to your current fitness level. Walking is free, and you can do it anywhere, anytime, even when you're traveling.
Weight-Bearing Exercise: 8 Workouts for Strong Bones
Here are the latest weight-bearing workout trends.
By Rebecca Buffum Taylor
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
The Latest Weight-Bearing Workout Trends
What are the best ways to exercise and improve your bone health when you have osteoporosis? Try weight-bearing workouts that stress bones and muscles more than your everyday life, says Paul Mystkowski, MD, an endocrinologist at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle and clinical faculty member of the University of Washington in Seattle. Talk to your doctor and make sure the workout you choose is safe for you. Then give these latest trends a try!
1. Tai Chi
Recommended Related to Osteoporosis
12 Foods to Boost Bone Health
If you've been diagnosed with osteoporosis you know you need to lots of vital nutrients, like calcium and vitamin D. Turns out breakfast may be the best time to give your bone health a lift. Most of the foods and beverages now fortified with calcium are start-your-day kinds of tastes: Orange juice. Milk. Cereal.Sure, the USDA puts baked herring at the top of the list of calcium-rich food. But who knows a good recipe for that? And instant chocolate pudding is pretty high on the list -- but is that...
Read the 12 Foods to Boost Bone Health article > >
Tai chi -- a form of slow, graceful moves -- builds both coordination and strong bones. A study reported in Physician and Sportsmedicine found that tai chi could slow bone loss in postmenopausal women. The women, who did 45 minutes of tai chi a day, five days a week for a year, enjoyed a rate of bone loss up to three-and-a-half times slower than the non-tai-chi group. Their bone health gains showed up on bone mineral density tests.
2. Yoga
A study reported in Yoga Journal found an increase in bone mineral density in the spine for women who did yoga regularly. From the slow, precise Iyengar style to the athletic, vigorous ashtanga, yoga can build bone health in your hips, spine, and wrists -- the bones most vulnerable to fracture.
Standing poses like Warrior I and II work the large bones of the hips and legs, while poses like Downward Dog work the wrists, arms, and shoulders. Both the Cobra and Locust poses, which work the back muscles, may preserve the health of the spine. Yoga also sharpens your balance, coordination, concentration, and body awareness -- and thus helps prevent falls.
3. Brisk Walking
One fitness trend that never goes away, walking is still hugely popular among women -- and a great way to revamp your bone health. A study of nurses found that walking four hours a week gave them a 41% lower risk of hip fractures, compared to walking less than an hour a week. Brisk walking is best, but you can adapt your speed to your current fitness level. Walking is free, and you can do it anywhere, anytime, even when you're traveling.