Osteoporosis

With an aging population the prevalence and incidence of osteoporosis is set to dramatically increase over the next few decades. Osteoporosis is a condition categorised by a decline in bone mineral density (BMD) leading to hard, brittle bones prone to fracture. The primary risk factor for osteoporosis is reduced BMD and as a result focusing on this from a young age is the best prevention strategy. The area to particularly focus on early in life is nutrition, ensuring that adequate calcium and minerals are consumed from childhood.

While both genders are capable of developing osteoporosis, women are considerably more likely to develop the disease. This is as a result of hormonal changes particularly during and after menopause. These changes speed up the decline of BMD and therefore it is critical for women over the age of 50 to maintain activity throughout their lifespan.

At the end of the growing/maturation phase BMD begins to decline, so it is critical to build up as much BMD before the age of 20 as possible so as to strengthen bones for later life. Once the decline begins it is not possible to ever completely stop this process, however with particular forms of exercise slowing the decline is possible. The most effective type of exercise to reduce this decline is resistance training. The goal of resistance training is to stimulate the body to rejuvenate and strengthen itself. This is achieved through the remodelling and laying down of more bone, making it more resistant to fracture and injury. Research shows that aerobic exercise has very little, if any, effect on BMD, with solid evidence indicating that cycling has no proven benefit at all.

During resistance training all of the major muscle groups should be targeted. This is due to the fact that the upper body is rarely loaded during activities of daily living (ADL’s) resulting in weaker bones, not capable of sustaining intense loading. Additional loading of the upper body while also maintaining BMD of the lower body through walking and ADL’s ensures whole body protection against osteoporosis.