Osteoporosis Awareness Week - Back to Main Feature

"Move it or Lose it" - how exercise can help prevent the onset of osteoporosis

Two kinds of exercises – weight-bearing and resistance – play an important role in osteoporosis prevention. But you need to do them consistently if you want to reap the benefits; exercising infrequently won’t improve your bone health. On the other hand, you don’t need to spend hours at the gym to get results – just 30 minutes a day can boost your bone strength.

Even people who already have osteoporosis can benefit from gentle weight-bearing exercises.

If you know you already have osteoporosis, or have had a fracture, it is important that you always consult your doctor before starting an exercise programme. A doctor can advise you on the right types of exercise to do. Also, if you have osteoporosis, it is recommended a fixed support be used, rather than the chair used in the following illustrations, as a chair could potentially slip and cause a fall.

Exercising with weights

When beginning a strength-training programme, start with the lightest weights you can comfortably lift and increase the weight when the exercises become effortless. To do the exercises illustrated here you’ll need a set of portable weights and a sturdy chair. Look for wrist and ankle bands that fasten with Velcro and have pockets for weights – so you can gradually add weight in small amounts as you get stronger.

Use a chair with a firm seat deep enough to touch the back of your knees when you’re sitting with your feet flat on the floor. Since you’ll be performing some exercises using the chair for support, the back should come at least to your waist when you’re standing behind it.

These exercises, from the Fit for Your Life Program of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, should take 20-30 minutes. Do eight slow repetitions with each limb. When you can easily do more repetitions of any exercise, add more weight for that particular exercise.

All images copyright Jesse Tarantino and Harvard Health Publications.

Plantar flexors Slowly rise up on your toes and slowly return. If this is too easy, rise on one leg while the other leg is bent at the knee.	Biceps Start with your arms at your sides, and use arm weights. Bend one arm at the elbow, lifting the weight to your shoulder without moving your shoulder or upper arm. Lower your arm slowly.
Triceps Using arm weights, bring your hands to the front of your chest with elbows pointing out. Lift and straighten one arm at a time until the weight is directly over your head.	Knee extensors While using ankle weights, raise one foot forward. Extend your leg until the knee is as straight as possible. Lower your foot.
Hip abductors Use ankle weights for this exercise. Without bending your knee or waist, move one leg straight out to the side, keeping the toes pointed forward. Lower it slowly.	Leg lifts Slide forward in the chair until your buttocks are near to the front edge of the seat. Holding on to the seat with both hands, lift both feet 2-3 inches off the floor while wearing ankle weights. Straighten your legs out in front of you, holding them in the highest position you can for two seconds. Slowly lower them.
Triceps II Raise your arms (with arm weights) straight over your head, and bend one at the elbow so that the wrist is resting behind your neck. Straighten your arm and lift it to rejoin your other arm.	Hip extensors Bend forward at the waist about 45 degrees. Remember to hold onto the back of the chair. Use ankle weights, and lift one leg straight out behind you. Lift as high as possible without bending your knee or moving your upper body.
Shoulders Begin with your arms hanging at your sides, while using arm weights. Extend them straight to either side without bending. Continue lifting them upward, and try to touch your hands over your head. Lower your arms slowly, keeping them straight.	Hip flexors Bring your knee as close to your chest as possible without bending the other knee or your waist, while wearing ankle weights. Lower your leg slowly.
Knee flexors While wearing ankle weights, bend one knee without moving your upper leg. Try to bring your heel to the back of your thigh. Then lower it slowly.

More on exercising and osteoporosis

Original material provided by Harvard Health Publications, and edited by everybody, October 2005.