Healthy Fitness features

Bone health and risk of developing the degenerative bone disease osteoporosis are affected by age and lifestyle, as well as genes. Fortunately, it's never too late to start doing exercises that can help strengthen bone mass and density, says personal trainer Lucy Wyndham-Read.

As we get older, our bones become more fragile. Bone loss is part of the natural ageing process and increases very gradually after the age of 35, says the National Osteoporosis Society (NOS).

In women, bone thinning accelerates for several years after the menopause, when levels of the hormone oestrogen drop.

Bone loss can lead to the degenerative bone disease osteoporosis and an increased risk of fractures, especially in later life. By the age of 75, about half of the population will have osteoporosis, says the NOS.

The disease is often diagnosed only after a fracture has occurred. According to NHS UK, broken wrists, hips and spinal bones are the most common fractures in people with osteoporosis.

As well as age, risk of developing osteoporosis is increased by several other factors, including a family history of the disease, low body weight, certain medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, and a history of previous fractures.

Lifestyle habits that can increase your risk of osteoporosis include smoking and having a poor diet. Ensuring your body gets enough vitamin D is particularly important, as this helps to absorb the calcium that is essential to keep bones strong.

Exercise is a great way of building up bone mass and density, explains Lucy. The action of resistance exercises causes the muscles to rub against the bone, stimulating a substance called matrix.

Matrix supports bone mass and bone density, so the more exercise you do, the stronger your bones become.

As well as building bone strength, resistance exercises (like those below) help improve your posture, which will realign your muscle and bones, and help develop your balance; this in turn helps to reduce the risk of falling.

Try to perform this easy-to-follow bone-strengthening workout three times a week. The only equipment you need is a chair. Do the exercises in the order they appear below.

Before you begin, warm up thoroughly by marching on the spot for a couple of minutes. After your workout, do stretches to cool down.

1. Standing leg raise: Stand behind your chair. Have your feet hip-width distance apart and stand with good upright posture. Place both hands on the back of your chair for balance. Now slowly rise onto your tiptoes by lifting both your heels off the floor. Hold for a couple of seconds, then slowly lower to your starting position. Aim to repeat this 10 times.
2. Upper body strengthener: Sit on your chair with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent, ensuring that you are sitting upright and with good posture. Bend your arms and raise your elbows to shoulder height; take a deep breath in. Now, as you breathe out, raise your arms over your head; straighten them until your elbows are extended but not locked. Focus on keeping your abdominal muscle pulled in to protect your back. Now slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position. Aim to repeat this 10 times. (If you want to make this exercise a bit more challenging, you can use small hand weights or tins of soup.)
3. Sitting knee extension: Sit on your chair with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent, ensuring that you are sitting upright and with good posture. Tighten your abdominal muscles and look straight ahead. Slowly straighten one knee while lifting your heel a few inches from the floor. Don't slouch or round your back. Hold this position for a few seconds while breathing normally. Relax and return to the starting position, then switch to the other leg. Repeat this 20 times.

This routine works through your lower, middle and upper body, helping to increase your bone mass and density. If you feel up to it, you can repeat this routine once more.

Although exercise is essential in building healthy bones, it's important to understand that, if you do have osteoporosis, there are some exercises that you should avoid.

High-impact sports, such as running, can lead to stress fractures, and you should also avoid high-impact aerobics. It's also a good idea to avoid any contact sports, such as hockey, rugby or football.

However, you still have a wide choice of other physical activities to enjoy, such as walking, cycling, swimming and rowing.

Simple everyday activities, such as gardening, cleaning the car and doing housework, are other good ways to keep moving and, in turn, help keep your bones strong.

National Osteoporosis Society
http://www.nos.org.uk

Help the Aged, 'Health Advice: Osteoporosis'
http://www.helptheaged.org.uk/en-gb/AdviceSupport/HealthAdvice/Conditions/Osteoporosis/default.htm?gclid=CIK7iaDg-aACFVGX2AodIUnGoA

NHS UK, 'Osteoporosis'
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Osteoporosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx

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