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Women
begin to lose bone mass around the age of 30, putting them
at risk for osteoporosis (thin, brittle bones) and associated
fractures and back pain. Nutritional adjustments, such as
increasing daily calcium intake, have been shown to increase
bone density, but can exercise adjustments benefit as well?
An article published in the journal Sports Medicine investigated
the potential role of exercise in helping women maintain bone
mass.  The researchers analyzed 21 different studies and presented
their conclusions:
€ Regular exercise can delay or halt bone loss in women.
€ Weightbearing exercises are considerably more effective
than exercises that do not involve any loading.
€ Premenopausal and postmenopausal women can benefit from
a consistent exercise routine.
So what constitutes "weightbearing exercise"? Basically,
it's any activity that stresses your bones against your full
body weight, such as walking, running, tennis, step aerobics,
or stair climbing (actual stair climbing, not on a machine).
All those rowers, bicycles, gliders and ski machines at the
gym will provide a good cardiovascular workout, but they wonąt
help you build or maintain bone mass.
Talk to your chiropractor about your particular exercise
and nutritional needs as a woman. A consistent fitness program
that includes weightbearing and non-weightbearing exercises
can help keep you healthy inside and out.
Reference:
Ernst E. Exercise for female osteoporosis. A systematic review
of randomized clinical trials Sports Medicine 1998:
Vol. 25, No. 6, pp359-68.
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