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Sport supports bone strength
According to Sport Wales and the National Osteoporosis Society (NOS) regular exercise can help to keep your bones healthy.
Sport Wales and the NOS have collaborated following the launch of a sector wide vision for sport in Wales designed to highlight the positive impact of sport, whether that be a healthy lifestyle, providing a boost to the economy, or re-engaging young people.
One in two women and one in five men over the age of 50 in the UK will fracture a bone, mainly as a result of poor bone health. Although the reasons why aren’t fully understood there is a growing school of thought that regular exercise can reduce these numbers.
Studies have shown that any physical activity where you are supporting the weight of your own body such as tennis, aerobics, jogging, dancing, running or brisk walking, undertaken on a regular basis can improve skeletal strength.
Sport Wales principal physiotherapist, Sian Knott, said: “As the old saying goes; prevention is better than cure. We know that weight bearing exercise increases bone mineral density. It is therefore important for people to understand that achieving a higher peak bone mass during adolescence can be a significant factor in the prevention of Osteoporosis.
“Exercise and nutrition throughout the rest of life is also important as it delays bone degeneration. Jogging, walking, or stair climbing at 70-90% of maximum effort, three times a week, has shown to be effective. Resistance exercises (some work with dumbbells or weight machines) can also maintain or increase bone mineral density.”
Dr Claire Bowring of the National Osteoporosis Society, said: “Weight-bearing exercise is great for building bone strength in our youth to help us avoid osteoporosis and broken bones in later life. Exercise is also vital throughout our life to maintain bone strength. “If you have osteoporosis you may need to be careful of vigorous, high impact exercise but it's important to stay active and find something you enjoy. Leading an active lifestyle will ensure you have good balance and co-ordination and will also help to develop muscle strength.
“Regular activity such as walking, golf and tai chi, can help to keep you fit and reduce your risk of falling and breaking a bone in the longer term.”
To find out more about the Vision for Sport in Wales visit www.sportwales.org.uk.