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4 ways on how Weight Training helps build and maintain Bone Density
Tue 14 09 2021

Muscles and bones work together; as muscles get stronger, bones also gain density and strength. A bone is a living tissue that changes over time due to external forces. To maintain healthy and robust bones, one should not only engage in good nutrition by adding more calcium and vitamin D to their diet, but also should rely on weight training. Exercising builds stronger muscles at a young age and helps maintain them to reduce the risk of Osteoporosis or Sarcopenia over time. Osteoporosis, a bone-thinning disease, increases the risk of bone fracture, imbalance, and age-related complications. To avoid this, research shows that weight training, an effective muscle growth stimulant, is beneficial to maintaining bone density and preventing Osteoporosis due to the below reasons:

1. Weight training slows down bone loss.

Osteoporosis is an age-related concern that hits many inactive adults. Research shows that around 8 million women in the US have Osteoporosis. This rate is expected to increase with social inactivity due to the increase of accessible technology. Therefore, strength training could vary from 0 weight to weight machines and resistance bands to target muscle growth. Muscle growth leads to bone growth and bone growth would decrease the risk of fracture, bone-thinning, and bone loss from Osteoporosis. In addition, exercising regularly allows the bones to adapt to external stressors that would stimulate them to grow even further and decrease the chances of acquiring any bone loss in the future.

2. Weight training strengthens bones.

With specific muscle training, muscles grow more robust and pull harder on bones resulting in stronger bones. The opposite also applies when muscles grow weaker with a lack of exercise. Muscle strength and bone strength need to be balanced to avoid a soft power carrying a solid bone and vice versa. Since tendons attach bones and muscles, activities that apply stress on muscles would pull and push on the bones attached to those muscles, and this stress with time would cause denser and stronger bones so to balance off the weight applied.

3. Weight training has a substantial impact on one’s balance and steadiness.

An increase in muscle strength increases one’s balance and steadiness. This is not only due to the muscle’s power but also the effect it has on bone density. Bone density places a vital role in one’s balance and coordination. The risk of bone injury and fracture would decrease by strengthening bones and muscles to increase one’s balance. With added weight training and specialized exercises, one would be more responsive to any trip or fall and would protect themselves accordingly because of better balance.

4. Weight training stimulates bone growth.

Muscle training stimulates the release of Osteoblasts which are responsible for building new bone cells. Osteoblasts come from the bone marrow and increase in intensity with more weight training. This means that weight training stimulates bone repairing/remodeling, adjustment, and growth. In addition, weight training inhibits the release of osteoclast cells, cells that dissolve or degrade bones tissue and potentially promote Osteoporosis. This means that the more the weight training, and bigger the bones.

References:

https://walnuthillobgyn.com/blog/lift-heavy-stuff-pump-up-your-bone-strength/

https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/staying-healthy/exercise-and-bone-health/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9927006/

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