Exercise for Osteoporosis: Make Sure It's the Right Amount and the Right Type
Posted on: Monday, 4 December 2006, 06:00 CST
TAMPA, Fla., Dec. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- People who are walking for exercise may not be getting the health benefits for osteoporosis that other forms of exercise provide. "For osteoporosis, other forms of exercise are better," says Stan Reents, PharmD, a certified personal trainer, fitness counselor, and tennis coach.
The best exercises for building stronger bones involve jumping (basketball, volleyball), or sports that require abrupt changes in direction while running (field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis). Activities such as cycling, swimming, and walking don't provide enough "impact" on the skeleton to promote bone strength, says Reents, author of the text "Sport and Exercise Pharmacology" and creator of http://www.athleteinme.com/.
"Many people might think that osteoporosis is a disease that develops in women after menopause. That's true, but it can occur in both men and women, and across a wide age range," says Reents.
"Many older Americans are starting to walk on a regular basis, but, surprisingly, walking isn't all that effective for building stronger bones," says Reents, who is a tennis player and has competed in triathlons.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation (http://www.nof.org/) estimates that 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and another 34 million are at risk. Osteoporosis is responsible for 1.5 million fractures every year. As the US population continues to age, the rate of fractures is expected to double by 2040.
Aerobic exercise is a great way to improve cardiovascular health, but too much aerobic exercise can actually promote osteoporosis. This has been seen in both male and female athletes.
"Runners should limit their weekly distance to 15-20 miles per week if they are not also incorporating either jumping types of exercise, or weight- training exercises. Cyclists, swimmers, and walkers need to add some type of impact exercise. Even simple jumping jacks are beneficial," according to Reents.
AthleteInMe.com is a web site devoted to providing high-quality information on exercise, fitness, training, and sports nutrition for consumers and athletes. A thorough review of the effects of exercise on osteoporosis can be found in the story "Exercise and Osteoporosis".
For more info, contact: sales@athleteinme.com.
AthleteInMe, LLC
CONTACT: Stan Reents, PharmD, of AthleteInMe, LLC, +1-813-907-2185, oreditor@athleteinme.com
Web site: http://www.athleteinme.com/http://www.nof.org/
Source: PRNewswire
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