Osteoporosis or other bone disorders is a scary situation to deal with. Knowing that the slightest fall or bump can possibly cause a fracture must be terrifying. Thinking that you are made of glass must inhibit your ability to go out and do some of the things you love. What if I said that resistance training can slow down or even reverse osteoporosis?
Degenerative bone disease is a disorder where the bone breaks down more than it builds up. Supplementation and medication can help alleviate this disorder and promote more bone growth. However, nothing can really hold a light to resistance training when it comes to telling bones to become stronger to withstand these external forces.
How resistance training helps with osteoporosis
The body build and adapts based on everything that we throw at it. This is why our muscles get bigger when we lift weights, or our lungs and heart become stronger and more efficient at delivering blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the rest of our body with cardio. The human body wants to survive which is why it adapts so well.
If I were to put 200 lbs on my back what do you think the rest of my body has to do? My muscles have to stabilize my entire body so that I don’t fall over and get crushed by the weight. But, this 200 pound force is also placing a load on my skeletal system. My bones have to be strong enough to withstand this load as well. Forget my muscles, if my bones get crushed under that weight then my muscles won’t mean a thing.
Don’t forget that your muscles are also attached to your bones. Meaning your muscles have to pull on the bone in order to lift that external load. This stress on the bone can create the stimulus it needs to become stronger.
Resistance training creates that external load and creates that stimulus to make your bones become stronger. It’s like a buy one get three free. Resistance training will make you stronger, give you stronger bones, and make you look better!
Why not cardio?
Don’t get me wrong. Cardio is an important modality to utilize as well in terms of heart and lung health. But, in terms of making bones become stronger it will do minimal work. Walking and running can create some stimulus in the legs to withstand the impact of the ground, but this won’t be the same as a squat or lunge. The studies show that the ground reaction force (impact of landing on the ground) must be strong enough to create the stimulus for bone density1.
The study also shows that any stimulus towards building bone seems to be localized. So if you did develop stronger bones from walking or running then it would only affect your lower leg. This would leave your upper body still relatively fragile.
How to safely implement resistance training
There are several things that you want to keep in mind when you start resistance training. The first rule you should follow is to move slowly. Fast movements can make you susceptible to fractures. Imagine swinging a fluorescent light bulb. Moving slowly you can probably swing it all day long, but if you try swinging it fast there’s a good chance it will break. I could get into the physics of torque, but let’s just leave it at you should move slowly to minimize any chances of fractures.
The second rule would be excessive rounding of the back. This would include many different yoga poses, stretching, and abdominal exercises like crunches. The spine is meant to bend and take compressive type forces. But, if the bones are brittle then that compression can result in a fracture of the spine.
My third rule would be to start at a relatively light weight. Aim for your reps to be in the 15-20 range, and pick a weight that is appropriate to do so. By the end of the set you should feel a little burn in the muscles you are using. Heavier weights drastically increase the intensity of the exercise, and if your bones are brittle then the muscle pulling on the bone can possibly cause a fracture.
Easiest ways to start resistance training (Ranked)
- Work with a trainer
Working with a trainer is the best and safest way to begin a resistance training program for osteoporosis. Make sure they are aware of your condition, and keep the key points in the previous section about safety in mind. If they tell you to start jumping then move on to another trainer. A good trainer will guide you through more complex exercises, but carefully watch your technique to prevent injury. Free weight exercises will take you farther faster as long as you have someone making sure that you don’t get hurt.
- Orientation at a gym to use machine equipment
Most gyms will allow one “free personal training session”. Which is really just an orientation where they can show you how the equipment works. This is a good opportunity to safely get some resistance training without having to pay a trainer. Machines aren’t as good as free weights, but they are much safer because they require far less technique. As long as you can set up the machine for yourself you should be good to go. Just follow the safety tips above and you will be building muscle in no time.
- Find low impact follow along workouts for at home
I would recommend some light dumbbells and resistance bands if you prefer to keep your ass at home and avoid the gym. Adjustable dumbbells would be best as well so that you can increase the weight a little when you start to get stronger without having to go out and buy another set. You can find just about any type of workout on Youtube. As long as you find a video or channel focused around active older adults then you should be in the clear. The tough part here is that the instructor in the video can’t give you any feedback. This is where you will have to pay close attention to the instructions and what your body is doing to avoid injury.
- Aqua aerobics or a Silver Sneakers type class
There are a lot of group fitness classes out there and many in the making. Many of the classes are too high impact for someone with osteoporosis. It is very common for classes to include advanced moves. For example, the push up has a lot of moving parts and actually requires technique or else you can injure your shoulders.
Older adult classes place more emphasis on low impact and controlled exercises. Much like number 3, the instructor can’t coach everyone so you are forced to listen carefully and have self-awareness. My issue with classes is if you end up copying someone else in the class that isn’t doing the exercise right. Also we have a competitive streak as humans and will try to push it harder to be better than someone else in the class. Both points have a higher chance of resulting in an injury to an already fragile body.
Lets start lifting a little weight
Just because we have become diagnosed with a disease like this doesn’t mean that we have to give up on everything. Missing out on living our life will only quicken the decline in our health. There are plenty of studies out there that have shown patients with osteoporosis to slow down their symptoms or even reverse them with resistance training. Start slow and build it up gradually so that you can build a body that can withstand anything. Take a look at my article on the benefits of seniors building strength.
Citations
- Maria Grazia Benedetti, Giulia Furlini, Alessandro Zati, Giulia Letizia Mauro, “The Effectiveness of Physical Exercise on Bone Density in Osteoporotic Patients”, BioMed Research International, vol. 2018, Article ID 4840531, 10 pages, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4840531
