WHAT IT IS
Osteoporosis affects around 1.2 million Australians. Bones lose minerals such as calcium faster than the body can replace them, so they become thin and brittle and break more easily — most often at the hip, spine, wrist, upper arm, forearm or ribs. There are usually no symptoms until something breaks, which is why it is called the silent disease.
HOW EXERCISE HELPS
Loading bone changes its shape and size so it becomes stronger. Training also builds muscle and improves balance, which reduces the falls that cause most fractures. About a third of people over 65 fall each year, and around 6% of those falls end in a fracture.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
- Avoid explosive movements and high-impact loading
- Avoid loaded bending forward and twisting
- Avoid activity that takes your weight off your legs — it does not strengthen bone
- Start light and build the weight and resistance gradually
WHAT WORKS
- Moderate effort that does not make pain worse
- Weight-bearing aerobic activity such as walking, stair climbing or tennis
- Supervised resistance training as tolerated
- Balance work if you are at increased risk of falls — low-impact only
SOURCE AND CREDIT
This page is our plain-English summary of a guide produced by Exercise Right. Published by Exercise Right, an initiative of Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA). All credit for the original material belongs to them. We link to their file rather than hosting a copy, so you always get the current version.
These summaries are general education, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or an Accredited Exercise Physiologist about your own body and conditions.