by Peter Culp
One very common impairment or disease among women, especially postmenopausal women who are smaller in stature, is osteoporosis. Essentially what is happening with this disease is the bone mass is decreasing and the bone architecture is changing, which in turn makes fractures much more prevalent in this population. Osteoporosis is sometimes referred to as a silent disease, because there are no signs or symptoms until there is a fracture.
There are certain factors that can help improve bone density and the strength of bones in order to prevent the negative outcomes of osteoporosis. Some include prescription medications and increasing calcium and vitamin D in the diet. However, there is another option I want to touch on. One of the most beneficial things we can do for our body’s bone mass and density is weight lifting.
I know I lost some people as soon as I mentioned weight lifting, but hear me out. I am not referring to body building, or lifting massive weights at the gym. I am simply talking about progressive loading or resistance training that can easily be done at home. Stressing our bones will help to stimulate more bone growth and result in stronger bones and less fractures. There are so many ways to perform resistance exercises, whether with exercise resistance bands, weighted vests, dumbbells, or even simply cans of food from your pantry. Weight lifting does not need to be overly complicated and a few simple exercises can truly help increase bone health and improve the effects of osteoporosis.