Sep 21, 2026 02:49 PM
https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-...your-bones
EXCERPTS: The data showed that brisk walking or jogging was the winner when it came to bone strengthening. A combination of aerobic and resistance training also scored highly, but in fewer areas of the skeleton. The gains weren't huge, but potentially enough to guard against the bone weakening that comes with old age.
As for exercise time and intensity, the study concludes that around 600 METs minutes per week is the level at which exercise starts to make a difference – the equivalent of around 2–3 hours of brisk walking or jogging.
"We found that structured exercise was associated with a modest yet clinically meaningful mitigation of age-related declines in BMD at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip," write the researchers.
Mixed aerobic exercise and mind-body exercises showed some association with a reduced risk of bone fractures, but here the data was less clear cut (synthesizing information across 124 trials does have its challenges).
The benefits of exercise did vary between groups though, a reminder that exercise – and health conditions – can affect us all differently. [...] "Exercise yielded more pronounced BMD effects in middle-aged individuals and those with a healthy BMI, whereas responses were blunted in older adults and those with overweight or obesity."
What's good about brisk walking or jogging is that it's relatively accessible. You don't need any special equipment or a gym membership to do it, or any particular skills or access to a trainer (as you might with weights or yoga, for example).
Osteoporosis affects millions of people worldwide, and can often lead to fractures (breaking a bone is sometimes the first indication people get that they have the condition). In the UK alone, it's thought that there are over 500,000 bone fractures per year caused by fragility related to osteoporosis.
Those fractures can lead to more health complications and even premature mortality. In older people especially, bones take longer to heal, which means extended hospital stays and longer periods of immobility – all negative as far as overall health is concerned.
Some of those injuries and early deaths could be prevented through exercise, the study concludes, though more research will be needed with more consistent parameters to confirm the link... (MORE - missing details)
EXCERPTS: The data showed that brisk walking or jogging was the winner when it came to bone strengthening. A combination of aerobic and resistance training also scored highly, but in fewer areas of the skeleton. The gains weren't huge, but potentially enough to guard against the bone weakening that comes with old age.
As for exercise time and intensity, the study concludes that around 600 METs minutes per week is the level at which exercise starts to make a difference – the equivalent of around 2–3 hours of brisk walking or jogging.
"We found that structured exercise was associated with a modest yet clinically meaningful mitigation of age-related declines in BMD at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip," write the researchers.
Mixed aerobic exercise and mind-body exercises showed some association with a reduced risk of bone fractures, but here the data was less clear cut (synthesizing information across 124 trials does have its challenges).
The benefits of exercise did vary between groups though, a reminder that exercise – and health conditions – can affect us all differently. [...] "Exercise yielded more pronounced BMD effects in middle-aged individuals and those with a healthy BMI, whereas responses were blunted in older adults and those with overweight or obesity."
What's good about brisk walking or jogging is that it's relatively accessible. You don't need any special equipment or a gym membership to do it, or any particular skills or access to a trainer (as you might with weights or yoga, for example).
Osteoporosis affects millions of people worldwide, and can often lead to fractures (breaking a bone is sometimes the first indication people get that they have the condition). In the UK alone, it's thought that there are over 500,000 bone fractures per year caused by fragility related to osteoporosis.
Those fractures can lead to more health complications and even premature mortality. In older people especially, bones take longer to heal, which means extended hospital stays and longer periods of immobility – all negative as far as overall health is concerned.
Some of those injuries and early deaths could be prevented through exercise, the study concludes, though more research will be needed with more consistent parameters to confirm the link... (MORE - missing details)