Strength Training and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a devastating disease that affects millions of women and men Wolrdwide. Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone density that increases susceptibility to fracture. Osteoporotic fractures often have devastating consequences. About 25% of patients will die and another 25% will be permanently disabled 1 year following a hip fracture. Vertebral fractures often result in height loss, a "Dowager's hump", chronic low back pain and breathing difficulty in severe cases.

A variety of osteoporosis treatments are available including calcium, vitamin D, estrogen, bisphosphonates, selective estrogen receptor modulators, and parathyroid hormone, to name a few. The bad news is that most of these medications are quite expensive.  Some of the newer drugs such as bisphosphonates often cost over $1000 a year. Furthermore, the drug side effects are often intolerable. This reduces patient compliance, which ultimately reduces the effectiveness of the drug. There is clearly a need for an osteoporosis treatment that is cost-effective, safe and effective.

About 50% of our bone density is determined by genetics. However, the other 50% is impacted by our lifestyle. So while it's true that bone density is somewhat determined by family history, it can still be greatly impacted by the everyday choices we make.

It is well established that people who are sedentary have lower bone density versus those who are active. This is because when bone is subjected to a regular stress such as exercise, it thickens and becomes stronger to accommodate the stress. On the other hand, when a bone it not subjected to stress like with a sedentary lifestyle it becomes thinner and weaker to match the stress it must bear.

Although there is no known cure for osteoporosis, there are many lifestyle changes that can be made that will minimize bone loss in older age. These changes include avoiding alcohol and tobacco and consuming liberal amounts of foods abundant  in natural vitamins . The diet should concentrate on plenty of phytonutrient rich plant foods, whole grains, and lean proteins to include nuts, beans legumes, chicken and fish. Mineral supplements may prove helpful but do try to use whole food supplements such as concentrated aloe vera juice .

Physical activity has been shown to have a positive impact on bone density. This is important since a higher bone density usually reduces the risk for fracture. Aerobic exercise such as walking or running has a modest benefit on bone density. However, a much more effective exercise for bone density improvement and fracture risk reduction is strength training.

Strength training has several advantages over aerobic activity when it comes to osteoporosis prevention and treatment. First, strength training allows you to exercise all major muscle groups whereas aerobic exercise generally benefits only the lower body. This is critical since wrist fracture is one of the most common fracture sites in osteoporotic patients. Second, strength training applies much greater forces to bones compared to walking or even running. Although many more repetitions are performed during walking or running, it is the stress of each individual repetition that affects bone density the greatest. In this respect, strength training wins again. Third, dozens of varying strength-training exercises can be performed. This is beneficial since continually varying a regimen and applying stresses to the bone from different directions cause the bone to adapt by forming new bone at all areas of stress. In contrast, walking and running utilize the same motion over and over. Although new bone will be formed in the area of most stress, there are many areas of the bone that will remain weak.

A final and maybe the most important benefit of strength training is that it helps to prevent falls. In general, if you don't fall, you won't fracture. This especially applies to the hip and wrist, although not necessarily the spine. Strength training improves strength and balance and helps to maintain stability. This benefit alone makes strength training an ideal activity.

Strength training is a very effective practice for those with osteoporosis. However, the benefits will not be realized without paying attention to your nutritional intake as outlined above. All of the strength training in the world won't help if there isn't a solid nutritional base to support bone health. Therefore, the combination of strength training and a nutritious diet has the greatest impact on improving bone density in patients who have or are at risk for osteoporosis.