Most of us know that strength training (with free weights, weight machines, or resistance bands) can help build and maintain muscle mass and strength. What many of us don’t know is that strong muscles lead to strong bones. And strong bones can help minimize the risk of fracture due to osteoporosis.
A combination of age-related changes, inactivity, and inadequate nutrition conspire to gradually steal bone mass, at the rate of 1% per year after age 40. As bones grow more fragile and susceptible to fracture, they are more likely to break after even a minor fall or a far less obvious stress, such as bending over to tie a shoelace.
Osteoporosis should be a concern for all of us. An estimated eight million women and two million men in the United States have osteoporosis. It is now responsible for more than two million fractures each year, and experts expect that number will rise. Hip fractures are usually the most serious. Six out of 10 people who break a hip never fully regain their former level of independence. Even walking across a room without help may become impossible.
Numerous studies have shown that strength training can play a role in slowing bone loss, and several show it can even build bone. This is tremendously useful to help offset age-related declines in bone mass. Activities that put stress on bones can nudge bone-forming cells into action. That stress comes from the tugging and pushing on bone that occur during strength training (as well as weight-bearing aerobic exercises like walking or running). The result is stronger, denser bones.
And strength training, in particular, has bone benefits beyond those offered by aerobic weight-bearing exercise. It targets bones of the hips, spine, and wrists, which are the sites most likely to fracture. What’s more, resistance workouts — particularly those that include moves emphasizing power and balance — enhance strength and stability. That can boost confidence, encourage you to stay active, and reduce fractures another way — by cutting down on falls.
Furthermore, physical and mental health benefits that can be achieved through resistance training include:
*Improved muscle strength and tone – to protect your joints from injury
*Maintaining flexibility and balance, which can help you remain independent as you age
*Weight management and increased muscle-to-fat ratio – as you gain muscle, your body burns more calories when at rest
*May help reduce or prevent cognitive decline in older people
*Greater stamina – as you grow stronger, you won’t get tired as easily
*Prevention or control of chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, back pain, depression and obesity
*Pain management
*Improved mobility and balance
*Improved posture
*Decreased risk of injury
*Increased bone density and strength and reduced risk of osteoporosis
*Improved sense of wellbeing – resistance training may boost your self-confidence, improve your body image and your mood
*A better night’s sleep and avoidance of insomnia
*Increased self-esteem
*Enhanced performance of everyday tasks.
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