One Minute of Jogging for Bone Health

 Authorities currently estimate that nearly nine out of ten Australians over the age of 50 have poor bone health. What’s worse, one in three women and one in twelve men over the age of 50 will suffer an osteoporotic fracture. Many victims of osteoporotic fractures lose the ability to live independently.

A Surprisingly Easy Way to Quickly Improve Bone Health

You may have read from our previous articles that weight-bearing exercise improves bone health and can even reverse osteoporosis. But did you know that just one minute of jogging per day can improve bone health? A study from the University of Exeter used wrist monitors to track 2,500 women for just one week. Researchers did ultrasounds on the participants’ heels at the beginning and end of the week to assess bone health. Compared to the more sedentary participants, women who jogged just one or two minutes per day saw a four percent increase in bone health over the week. More exercise created even more improvement. On those days when you can’t put in the usual half hour or more, consider a one-minute jog!

See other top strategies for protecting bone health.

Exercise Caution

People who have osteoporosis have special considerations before beginning a weight-bearing exercise regimen. The problem is that exercises that are too easy-going will not have the full effect on bone mass density, and exercises that are too high-impact can cause harm.

This is why most people with osteoporosis should have the benefit of a consultation with a qualified exercise physiologist. A qualified exercise physiologist will not only make sure a person is doing the right exercises, but that the intensity of the exercises progresses in a way that will not cause harm but will continue to create stronger bones.

References

1. Watts J, Abimanyi-Ochom J, Sanders KM. Osteoporosis costing all Australian: a new burden of disease analysis-2012 to 2022.

Stiles VH, Metcalf BS, Knapp KM, Rowlands AV. A small amount of precisely measured high-intensity habitual physical activity predicts bone health in pre-and post-menopausal women in UK Biobank. Internat