The Best Exercise Type and Frequency for Bone Density [Video]

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When it comes to bone health, it’s use it or lose it. Physical activity is considered a widely accessible, low-cost, and highly modifiable contributor to bone health. Exercise transmits forces through the skeleton, generating signals that are detected by your bone-building cells. This is why the National Osteoporosis Foundation, International Osteoporosis Foundation, and other agencies recommend weight-bearing exercises for the prevention of osteoporosis. These include high-impact exercises such as jumping, aerobics, and running, as well as lower impact exercises like walking and weight training to create those mechanical signals that spark bone growth, but sufficient intensity and frequency are critical. The large variation in bone benefit across different studies, from negligible changes to substantial improvements in bone mineral density, has been …