Sadly, many people have no idea that they have been losing bone mass for years, it’s ‘silent’, until without warning, a twist, a bend, or an unexpected fall leads to a painful fracture in the hip, spine, or wrist.
If you know someone who has experienced a bone fracture, you know how drastically it can turn one’s life upside down.
A spinal fracture, which is the most common type of fracture, can result in ongoing pain, stooped posture, and even digestive problems. A hip fracture can severely limit mobility, making it difficult to drive, cook or even get out of bed.
The older we get, the more likely we are to have our bones weakened by osteoporosis — making us more susceptible to potentially devastating fractures. In fact, after the age of 35, we lose more bone density than we build.
Osteoporosis affects men and women of all races and is triggered by many factors like genetics, lifestyle and medical conditions. But white and Asian women, especially older women who are past menopause, are at highest risk.
Good news! Simple bone-protecting exercises
Not only is osteoporosis preventable, but it’s also treatable. Medications, healthy diet and weight-bearing exercise can help prevent bone loss or strengthen already weak bones.
Like muscle, bone is living tissue that responds to exercise by becoming stronger.
Exercise can help strengthen your bones and improve your coordination and balance, but you may not know how EASY these exercises can be!
Weight-bearing or strength training exercise helps keep bones strong by causing the muscles and tendons to pull on the bones, which in turn stimulates bone cells to produce more bone. The load on the bones can be created by your own body weight, as in walking, dancing, running, or jogging, or by external weights like dumbbells or gym machines in a weight-training program.
WFCC’s Personal Training Director can assist you to manage and build stronger bones and prevent life-altering fractures. Book your appointment today.
Smart bone-building nutrition tips
Nutrition and musculoskeletal health are closely related. Adequate dietary intake of certain key nutrients contributes to bone health and reduces the risk of osteoporosis and fragility fractures later in life. The key nutrients for bone health at all ages are calcium, protein, and vitamin D.
In people who have healthy bones, adequate calcium intake daily is necessary to maintain bone health. For older adults, studies have shown that adequate calcium intake can slow bone loss and lower the risk of fracture. Protein is another important nutrient for building and repairing body tissues, including bones.
Avoid excessive use of alcohol
Chronic alcohol use has been linked to an increase in fractures of the hip, spine, and wrist. Drinking too much alcohol interferes with the balance of calcium in the body. It also affects the production of hormones, which have a protective effect on bone, and of vitamins, which we need to absorb calcium. Excessive alcohol consumption also can lead to more falls and related fractures.
it is 100% possible to get stronger bones.
Contact WFCC trainers todayand develop your action plan to fight back. See how to recover well from hip fracture and therapeutic exercises that can help cope with the pain of a vertebral fracture. And more!
Take action today!
