Strength training gives seniors a boost to bone health

At 53, Maryam Deravian is more active than a lot of 20-year-olds. When she’s not cycling or skiing, the West Vancouver mom of three goes as often as she can to group-fitness classes that feature everything from cardio to strength training.

That resistance training does more than help tone muscles. It’s also an effective and often overlooked means of strengthening the bones—which is vital to people like Deravian who have a family history of osteoporosis.

“I love how I feel after working out; it gives me energy,” Deravian says. “I also know I’ve got to take care of my body so I don’t break anything. I saw how fragile my mom and my aunt were with osteoporosis and I don’t want to end up like that.”

Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue, which leads to increased bone fragility and risk of fracture, especially of the hip, spine, wrist and shoulder. More than 80 per cent of all fractures in people aged 50 and over are caused by the condition, according to Osteoporosis Canada.

It affects men and women, as both genders begin to lose bone in their mid 30s. However, women lose bone density at a greater rate as they approach menopause, as much as two to three per cent per year compared with about one per cent a year for men. 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.

While weight-bearing exercise—like walking, jogging, and racquet sports—is well-known as a way to reduce the risk of osteoporosis or help manage it, less attention has been given to the role strength training plays in preventing or living with the disease.

Defined as exercise where free weights, weight machines, exercise bands, or even your own body weight are used to make the bones and muscles work by lifting, pushing, or pulling a “load,” resistance training is powerful: it helps prevents bone loss that accompanies aging. This results in stronger, denser bones.

Several studies have shown that strength training can play a role in slowing bone loss, and still others show it can even build bone. Resistance workouts that include movements emphasizing power and balance also enhance stability. That can boost confidence, encourage people to stay active, and reduce fractures by cutting down on falls.

Preliminary results from an Australian study called LIFTMOR (Lifting Intervention For Training Muscle and Osteoporosis Rehabilitation) have found that high-load resistance training is a safe and effective strategy for improving bone and muscle strength in post-menopausal women.

“So far this research has been showing some very positive outcomes, with the women showing an increase in strength which we hope will translate into a reduced risk of fracture,” lead researcher Belinda Beck said in a press release.

Anyone can start, any time

Resistance training is beneficial to anyone at any age, but it’s especially important as people go through menopause and andropause, says certified personal trainer Ashley Leong, founder of Vancouver’s Body by Design Personal Fitness Training Inc.

“Whether it’s cables, dumbbells, resistance bands, Thera-bands, or the exercise ball, it’s so important as we age,” Leong says. “You want to work on maintaining as much muscle mass as you can so that we can keep the integrity of the bones. Resistance training pulls on the connections from the tendons to the bone and stresses the bone, and bone stress, when done in moderation, is a great thing; that’s what helps increase the integrity of the bones.”

Examples of resistance exercises that don’t involve any equipment include squats, lunges, and step ups. Yoga and Pilates can also improve strength, balance and flexibility, but certain positions may not be safe for people with osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. For example, exercises where you bend forward may increase the chance of breaking a bone in the spine.

Not only does weight training increase bone density, it also improves muscle mass and connective tissue strength, which reduce the risk of falling and breaking something, which in an older person, often signifies the beginning of the end. Twenty-eight per cent of women and 37 per cent of men who suffer a hip fracture will die within the following year.

Weight-training exercises also protect the spine in particular. Spine fractures are often caused by loads on the vertebrae that are greater than they can withstand. Exercises that target the muscles that extend your back can help improve posture, reducing the risk of those fractures.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation suggests doing weight-bearing exercises 30 minutes on most days of the week and muscle-strengthening exercises two to three days per week.

You want to work all your different muscles, including those in the arms, chest, shoulders, legs, stomach, and back. If you don’t have much time you can do arms one day, legs the next, and trunk the next.

Gradually add weight or repetitions to make the exercise more challenging.