St. Louis, MO    (314) 939-1377
HouseFit Physical Therapy & Fitness
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Success Stories
    • In The Press
  • WHO WE HELP
    • Arthritis Pain
    • Balance Issues
    • Dizziness & Vertigo
    • Healthy Aging
    • Loss Of Independence
    • Parkinson's Disease
  • Workshops
    • Floor Fitness
    • Safe Landing
  • Health Tips
  • Careers
    • Physical Therapist
    • Physical Therapist Assistant
  • Contact
  • Book Dr. Beth
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Success Stories
    • In The Press
  • WHO WE HELP
    • Arthritis Pain
    • Balance Issues
    • Dizziness & Vertigo
    • Healthy Aging
    • Loss Of Independence
    • Parkinson's Disease
  • Workshops
    • Floor Fitness
    • Safe Landing
  • Health Tips
  • Careers
    • Physical Therapist
    • Physical Therapist Assistant
  • Contact
  • Book Dr. Beth

Impact Training for Osteoporosis

3/4/2022

 
Picture
By: Dr. Beth Templin

​0steoporosis is a condition that is categorized by weakening of the bones in the body. Osteoporosis can lead to issues such as a loss of height and increased risk for fractures. One of the main goals of treatment is to reverse or lessen the loss of bone. That is why exercise is crucial to strengthen your body.
The physical activity guidelines for treatment of osteoporosis recommend a combination of strength training, balance training, and impact training. Most people are familiar with the benefits of strength training. When you strength train, the pull of the muscles on the bones during the activities signals the body to make more dense bone.

Balance training is considered to be an important part of osteoporosis management because it helps to decrease the risk of falls. This will reduce the likelihood of having a fracture or broken bone.
A less known, but highly effective treatment is impact training. Activities such as jogging, brisk walking, and stair climbing are considered impact training. Impact training can also include jump training, which will be the focus of this article.

Why Impact Training?

We know that the body adapts to the stresses that are placed on it every day. Let's take a look at an extreme to understand this concept better. When astronauts are in space, they have decreased pull of gravity on their bodies. As a result, their bones tend to breakdown faster than they would if they were on Earth.

On the flip side, if we increase the stress on our body by increasing the impact on our bones, we will signal our bodies to build more dense bone. A great way to do this is by jumping.

One specific study looked at having women jump 20 times, with 30 sec rest breaks in between, twice a day. They saw significant improvements in bone mass after just 8 weeks, which increased even more after 16 weeks of training.

A similar study done on men looked at jumping 40-100 times a session, 3 times a week. They monitored for pain, fatigue and fractures. All participants were able to complete without injury and demonstrated significant improvements in bone density.

Is It Safe For People My Age?

The short answer is yes. While it's understandable to be nervous about adding jumping as an activity for someone with weak bones, it can be done in a safe manner. Similar to starting any new activity, you will want to start at an easy, beginner level and then progress slowly to high levels of intensity.

As with any new activity there are several modifications and levels that you can trial to find what is the right fit for you. This will be important as you navigate through this exercise to understand what your body can do effectively and safely.

Jump training will feel like a very new idea for your body and may bring on more apprehension than other exercises. Keep in mind, the benefits that this type of training can provide greatly outweigh the risks. Jump training is also a great way to gain power and improve reaction times to reduce risk of falls. It is also a vital component of maintaining good bone health as you age. If you have a diagnosis of Osteoporosis or Osteopenia, you will especially benefit from adding this type of exercise to your routine.

Ready to give it a try? Check out Kim's exercise of the month by clicking HERE.
​
❤️ Dr. Beth
​
​Stay up to date on information for healthy aging, special offers and events at HouseFit.​ Click on the button above and subscribe for our free monthly newsletter!

Comments are closed.
    Picture

    AUTHOR

    Dr. Beth helps adults 55+ maximize their independence and fitness, so they can continue to enjoy a full and active life.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018

    Categories

    All
    Age In Place
    Agility
    Aging
    Anti Aging
    Arthritis
    Balance
    Benefits
    Bones
    Boxing
    Classes
    Dizziness
    Endurance
    Exercise
    Falls
    Fear
    Fitness
    Fitness Routine
    Flexibility
    Flexible
    Frailty
    Good Posture
    Group Classes
    Group Exercise
    Healthy Living
    Immune System
    Independence
    Intensity
    Joints
    Managing Stress
    Memory
    Movements
    Mucles
    Muscles
    Neuro
    Neuropathy
    One Year Anniversary
    Online Classes
    Osteoarthritis
    Osteroporosis
    Pain
    Physical Therapist
    Physical Therapy
    Posture
    Senior Fitness
    Seniors
    Sensory
    Sore Muscles
    Stiff Joints
    Stiff Muscles
    Stiffness
    Strength
    Strength Training
    Stress At You Age
    Stretching
    Tingling
    Vestibular Rehab
    Weakness

    RSS Feed

Address:
3809 Lemay Ferry Rd
​Saint Louis, MO 63125

​
​Phone Number
:
(314) 939-1377


Fax Number:
​(314) 449-9173


Email:
​
info@housefitstl.com


​Office Hours:
Mon-Fri 8:45am to 4:45pm

Privacy Policy
No Surprise Act

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER:
All information on this website  is intended for instruction and informational purposes only. The authors are not responsible for any harm or injury that may result. Significant injury risk is possible if you do not follow due diligence and seek suitable professional advice about your injury. No guarantees of specific results are expressly made or implied on this website.
Service Area: St. Louis County, St. Louis City, St. Charles County, and Jefferson County
​Copyright 2022 - HouseFit- All Rights Reserved