Bone Strengthening Exercises

Keep moving! It's good for your bones!

Physical exercise is important not only during growth and adolescence for building bone mass but also in adulthood. Exercising improves the muscle strength too, and therefore has a positive effect on bones. Exercise should be adapted to cardiovascular capability and general state of health.

What sort of exercise can I do?

Regular weight-bearing exercises are recommended. This means any kind of physical activity where you are supporting the weight of your own body.

Examples:

  • Jogging
  • Dancing
  • Brisk walking
  • Climbing stairs
  • Playing tennis
  • Playing cricket
Balance exercises are also recommended (eg. standing on one foot)

Here is some advice and some simple exercises that you can do at home:

1. Develop the Muscles in your Wrist

Advice: The wrist is often the first point of contact in a fall.

Exercise: Bend your elbow to create 90° angle with your forearm. With the other hand, put pressure on the base of the foream and then resist this pressure for 5 seconds, then another 5 seconds.

Repeat the exercise 10 times for each arm

2. Reinforce your Pelvis Muscles

Advice: Shopping and walking are effective at this.

Exercise: Stand approximately 10cm from a wall sideways on. Keeping your body straight (no leaning), push your foot out to the wall and push against it for 5 seconds and then another 5 seconds.

Repeat the exercise 10 times for each leg

3. Work on your Balance

Advice: A simple fall or a light shock can have big consequences. Check your eye-sight regularly, watch out for wet/slippy floors and hold on to banisters when climbing stairs.

Exercise: Stand on one leg for 5-10 seconds. Then close your eyes and stand on the same leg again for 5-10 seconds.

Change legs and start the exercise again.

Keeping Bones Strong

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> Find out more about bones and how to keep them strong

Health Care Professionals

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> Find out more about Nutrition and Bone Health here