Osteoporosis is a chronic skeletal disorder characterized by loss of bone mass and density, which results in bones brittle to fracture or break. It is one of the health issues that has affected many people globally and, more often, postmenopausal women. Disruption of bone remodeling, characterized by increased bone resorption and reduced bone formation, leading to reduced bone mass and density, is seen.
Bone health is crucial for well-being, for activities of daily living, and robust health. Balance and strength are critical to many aspects of human life. With aging, avoiding osteoporosis and preserving bones turn into a more significant concern. According to many strategies for the management and prevention of osteoporosis, resistance training is seen as a feasible mode with long-term measures.
In this article, the technique through which resistance training aids in avoiding osteoporosis will be described, and additional information on the incorporation of resistance training in daily living is also provided.
Actions of Resistance Training on Osteoporosis Prevention
1. Bone Remodeling
Bone is an actively renewing tissue, although this process is relatively slow because the aged bone tissue is replaced with new bone tissue. In resistance training, osteoblasts are induced, and osteoclast activity is reduced. It results in bone remodeling that supports bone mineralization along with minimal bone resorption. Strength training responds by adding a layer of bone to support the new stress level.
2. Muscle Strength and Power
It also reduces body fat, enables increased bone density, and improves a person’s muscle strength and power. Muscular strength ensures a person is stable and stands on his ground, thus breaking, or at least doesn’t fall.
A decrease in muscle mass and strength occurs as a regular process, depending on age, and this is called sarcopenia. Reduced muscle mass also makes elderly people prone to falls and fractures. Many patients with osteoporosis can be fought by resistance exercises, as they help strengthen the muscles, reducing the chance of falls and fractures.
3. Improved Hormonal Balance
Resistance training also brings in a positive hormonal response, which is of significant concern when it comes to bone health. It raises oestrogen levels in postmenopausal women who are most vulnerable to osteoporosis. Some investigations reveal that oestrogen plays a positive role in bone metabolism since it antagonizes bone resorption while stimulating bone formation.
Further, the traditional resistance training aids in reducing insulin resistance and possesses a better glycometabolic control and, in essence, a better hormonal milieu for bone health.
4. Enhanced Calcium Absorption
There are many advantages of muscle resistance training to other body systems besides the skeletal system. Studies have found that by doing resistance training exercises, the body builds the ability to absorb calcium, which is necessary for bone formation.
Bones need calcium to grow, and bone loss can be prevented with calcium. Mechanistic theory is a process whereby the human body balances its nutrient intake and assimilation rates based on physical activity, and the intake rate is higher just before and after the resistance training exercise. This is the description of this theory called the physiological theory of regular walking and exercise, which asserts that muscle exercises produce mechanical loading that causes bone cells to respond by having their release of calcium into the bloodstream to be deposited into the bone matrix to increase bone mass.
resistance training professional
Why Should You Incorporate Resistance Training into Your Lifestyle?
That said, now it is time to lay down ways in which one can help prevent osteoporosis through resistance training.
Here are some steps you can take:
1. Start Slowly
Especially for first-time resistance trainers, the recommended approach is to perform low-intensity kinds of exercising and then work through to higher intensity levels as the fitness increases. Talk to a certified fitness trainer who will help determine the correct manner of doing the exercises.
2. Focus on Compound Movements
Multijoint exercises like squatting, pulling, and pressing movements like deadlifts and bench press work on many muscles at once, making them ideal for stimulating strength and bone strength. You should always try to include at least one compound exercise as part of your resistance training schedule.
3. Resistance training should be done frequently.
And finally, when it comes to resistance training, consistency pays. You should ideally practice two to three times a week and choose the major muscle group you want to work on.
4. Do Both Resistance Training and Follow a Balanced Diet
The calcium and vitamin D and other nutrients helps support the bones. Calcium-rich foods are derived from daily produce, green leaves, products from milk, and products like oranges and soy products, which have been enhanced with calcium. The source of Vitamin D includes Ultraviolet light B, Fatty fish, and Vitamin D supplements.
5. Take into account Resistance Bands and Weight Machines
If you do not want to use free weights, you can use the elastic bands or even the weight lifting machines. These tools, as most readers already know, have similar functions as free weights but present less injury potential and more stability during usage.
6. Monitor Your Progress
Use a calendar to review often to know whether your resistance training program is effective in preventing osteoporosis or not. This can be done by measuring your bone mineral density using the DXA scans or through strength and functional status.
If you would like to incorporate resistance training in your life, start off with novice workout routines and aim for compound exercises, routine, and proper diet. Check your status while practicing it, and stick with a certified fitness expert or your doctor for a healthy and efficient resistance training program.
