Move it or lose it

How exercise helps to build and maintain strong bones, prevent falls and fractures, and speed rehabilitation

This IOF report, issued in conjunction with World Osteoporosis Day 2005 and its theme of exercise for bone health, looks at the impact of weight-bearing exercise on building strong bones. The report looks at the importance of exercise at all ages, including its role in youth, in maintaining strong bones in adulthood and in preventing falls and speeding rehabilitation. Professor Helmut Minne, an IOF Board member and author of the report, noted that, among many dramatic conclusions, in girls the bone tissue accumulated during the ages of 11-13 roughly equals the amount of bone lost during the 30 years following menopause. Also, in one study, the most physically active young girls gain about 40% more bone mass than the least active girls of the same age. "Older people also benefit," he noted, pointing out that "exercising your back during middle age can help prevent the vertebrae from weakening or fracturing when people get older.

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