About this topic
Weight-bearing exercise is any activity that you do while standing up. This means you build strong bones and muscles as they work against the force of gravity. Your bones get stronger as you exercise and move about. ‚
The best time to build bone strength is in your growing years. Bones still grow into your 20s or early 30s. It is also important to do weight-bearing exercises after the mid-30s. That is when bone loss often begins. ‚
Bone loss may also be called osteoporosis. It is a health problem where the amount of bone gets smaller. People with osteoporosis should do weight-bearing exercises to prevent more bone loss and broken bones. ‚
Weight-bearing exercise may include: ‚
- Brisk walking, hiking, or running
- Aerobics, dancing, or climbing stairs
- Sports like:
- Basketball
- Bowling
- Golf
- Tennis
- Skiing
- Skating
- Baseball
- Karate
- Soccer
- Tai Chi or yoga
- Pushing a lawnmower
- Using free weights while standing up
Activities that are good for your heart and lungs but are NOT weight-bearing exercises: ‚
General
Before starting with a program, ask your doctor if you are healthy enough to do these exercises. Your doctor may have you work with a trainer or physical therapist to make a safe exercise program to meet your needs. ‚
Strengthening Exercises ‚
Strengthening exercises keep your muscles firm and strong. Start by getting 30 minutes of exercise a day for 4 or more days per week. Do each exercise 10 times. Do all exercises slowly. ‚
- Mini-squats ¢ ˆ ’ Stand up straight in front of a counter. Have your feet spread about a foot apart. Slowly bend your knees while keeping your back straight. At first, start by just having a slight bend at the knee. To make it harder, bend your knees deeper. Hold this position for 5 seconds. Slowly stand up straight.
- Bicep curls using free weights
- Choose a weight that will allow you to do this exercise 10 times. Most often, you should choose a weight that allows you to only complete the exercise 10 times before needing to rest. If you easily do this 10 times, you may not be using enough weight. If you are not able to do this 10 times, you are using a weight that is too heavy for you.
- Stand straight with feet slightly apart.
- Slightly bend your knees to prevent back strain.
- Hold the weights in front of your thighs with palm facing away from the body. Control your belly muscles so you will not lean forward while holding the weights.
- Slowly bend your lower arms towards your chest. Be sure not to move your upper arms. Move only your lower arms. Breathe out while you are doing this.
- Hold your position for 3 seconds.
- Slowly lower your arms to the starting position. Do not just relax your muscles and let your arms quickly drop to your thighs. Control your muscles while lowering your arms. Breathe in while you are doing this.
- Repeat 10 times. If you work with a trainer, your trainer can tell you how many sets to do. If you are just starting to work out by yourself, begin with one set of 10. Work your way up to 3 sets of 10 before increasing the weight.
What will the results be?
- Stronger bones
- Stronger muscles
- Less bone loss
- Improve coordination and balance
What foods are good to eat?
- Eat a well-balanced diet with calcium and vitamin D to keep your bones healthy. Good foods to eat are:
- Milk, cheese, yogurt
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Fish
- Eat food rich in protein. This will help build strong muscles.
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
If proper warm-up and cool-down exercise were not performed, you may have: ‚
- Muscle strain
- Ligament sprain
- Tendonitis
- Stress fractures
When do I need to call the doctor?
Call your doctor if you have concerns about your activities. ‚
Helpful tips
- Use proper training shoes.
- Wear comfortable clothes.
- Do warm-up exercises before and cool-down exercises after this activity.
- Bring a bottle of water and take drinks often during this activity.
- If you have osteoporosis, try to avoid weight bearing activities that may put you at risk for falling like skiing and skating.
- Avoid smoking and excessive drinking of beer, wine, and mixed drinks (alcohol)
- Try to add more walking into your daily routines to get more weight-bearing exercise:
- Take the stairs instead of going on an elevator.
- Park far away from places to get in more steps.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00263 ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚