We all know that a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is good for our bones, but exercise also helps improve your bone health, while also building muscle strength, coordination and balance (helping to prevent falls), not to mention encouraging overall better health.
And while being active is important to young people, there was little research on the effect of high impact exercise on bone density as we age.
Now some new research finds high-impact exercise may be even more critical as we get older, especially since bone mass peaks during the 30’s and declines afterward.
A sampling of senior athletes, both men and women aged 50 to 93, who took part in the 2005 National Senior Games (also known as the Senior Olympics), including 560 who competed in high impact sports like basketball, road racing, track and field, triathlons and volleyball found that these athletes had higher bone mineral density than those who didn’t take part in these activities.
These findings appear in the November/December 2009 issue of Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach.
The athletes completed a detailed health history questionnaire and underwent ultrasound to measure bone mineral density.
They were classified by the researchers as participating in high impact sports or low impact sports. The ultrasound scans revealed that older athletes who participated in high impact sports had better bone mineral density than those who took part in the low impact variety.
This even after age, sex, obesity and use of any osteoporosis medication was factored in.
“Our study represents the largest sample of bone mineral density data in mature athletes to date,” says Dr. Vonda Wright, an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “My colleagues and I were surprised to see that active adult participation in the high-impact sports had such a positive influence on bone health, even in the oldest athletes.”
Of course osteoarthritis (abbreviated as OA, sometimes also called degenerative arthritis) and other conditions mightkeep older folks from taking part in high impact activities.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of the over 1000 different types of arthritis, affecting over 20 million Americans, most as they get older when the water content of the cartilage increases causing the protein makeup of the cartilage to degenerate.
Without the cartilage cushion, friction of the bones causes pain and the limitation of mobility and is most common in the hands, feet, spine and large weight bearing joints like the hips and knees.
If you know you have this condition, talk to your doctor about what activities are best for you before you begin any exercise program.
Still it’s good to know that not only young bones can benefit from high impact exercise. Things like weight training, walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, tennis and even dancing can play a positive role in keeping your bones healthy as you get older.
But remember, always check with your doctor first, and work to make regular activity, at least 30 minutes on most days of the week, part of your routine.
Your bones (and the rest of your body) will thank you.
