Osteoporosis causes a significant increase in chances of broken bones, and that may influence many osteoporosis patients to stop exercising in order to minimize risk. However, exercise is actually one of the best ways to help keep your bones strong and healthy, as long as it is done right. Learn more about the best exercises for osteoporosis.
Weight-bearing Exercise
One of the most common types of osteoporosis exercise is low-impact weight-bearing exercise. If something is weight-bearing, it means that you are doing an aerobic exercise on your feet, so that your bones support the weight of your body. The best weight-bearing exercises for osteoporosis are low-impact, so that you are not performing any jarring activities that have a higher likelihood of breaking your bones.
Some low-impact weight-bearing exercises can be as simple as walking or even gardening. Other options include certain types of dancing, climbing stairs, and using an elliptical machine.
Strength Training Exercise
Another incredibly useful type exercise for osteoporosis is strength training, which focuses on strengthening major muscle groups in the body. Improving the strength of muscles can have many benefits: it can help to improve posture, which can keep bones in the right places in the body, and it can also actually improve bone density. Strength training increases muscle tension on the bones, which sends a signal to the bones to begin to form more new bone and results in high-density bones.
Most often, strength training is done with free weights or weight machines. It is important to take into account your fitness level and bone density before beginning a weight training regimen, as starting with weights that are too heavy will most likely cause injuries.
Stability and Balance Exercise
Another excellent way to reduce bone breakages with osteoporosis is to avoid falls, since falling is one of the leading causes of broken bones in people with osteoporosis. Exercising in a way that helps you practice your balance can improve your overall stability and decrease your chances of falling.
Some of the best exercises to improve balance are gentle activities like yoga and tai chi. However, you can also work on improving your balance in simple ways, such as by standing on one leg for a period of time.
Flexibility Exercise
Staying flexible is another way to reduce the chances of falling and to improve your overall ability to exercise. This is mostly achieved through stretching, which should be done after an exercise session or at another time when the muscles have been warmed up. These are some of the simplest types of exercise, but they should not be skipped because they keep muscles working well, which can in turn keep your bones healthy and protected.
Although osteoporosis can be difficult to manage, these types of exercises for osteoporosis are likely to help you improve bone strength and prevent broken bones. To learn more about how to increase bone strength, read about the best diet and foods for osteoporosis.
