Email a Friend
Print ArticleOsteoporosis Health Center
This article is from the WebMD News Archive
Aerobic Exercise, Weights Boost Bone Strength
April 4, 2005 -- Young women can boost their bone strength with just six months of exercise, even if they've been sitting on the sidelines for a while.
The key is combining high-impact aerobics and strength training. In a new study, step aerobics delivered the greatest gains in leg, spine, and heel bone density, while hip bones improved more with weight training.
In other words, do some of both types of exercise. While you're at it, add some weight training exercises to build bones in the upper body. The bone benefits add up quickly, says Michael T.C. Liang of California State Polytechnic University, in a news release.
Aerobics, Weight Training Go Head-to-Head
Exercise amounted to a bone makeover for the women in Liang's study. Participants were women aged 20-35 years. Like many Americans, they were sedentary, getting basically no exercise.
Liang and colleagues split the women into three groups. One group (29 women) was assigned to do high-impact step aerobics three times a week for six months. Another group (20 women) spent six months on a lower-body strength-training schedule. A third group (20 women) was allowed to stay idle, without any required exercise.
The exercisers got close supervision during their workouts.
At the study's start and end, the women's bone density was measured at the heel, leg bones, spine, hip, and wrist. Liang's team watched to see how bone density changed.
Aerobics Advantage
The step aerobics group had the biggest improvement in heel, spine, and leg strength:
- Hip bone density went up 3.3%
- Lumbar spine density went up 1.2%
- Leg bone density went up 0.9%
The strength-training group did better in the hip area. They had a gain of 0.9% in the density of the head of the hip bone, and a tiny hip density increase overall (0.1%). Meanwhile, their heel bone density was up 0.1%, while leg bone density dropped by 0.4%.
Hip density dipped by 0.1% and head-of-the-hip density was down 0.7% in the aerobics group.
What about the women with no formal exercise program? Their heel bone density dropped 0.2%. But their hip and leg bone density each went up by 0.2%, says the news release.
The bottom line: Mix high-impact exercise and strength training for best bone results, the study suggests. Strong bones also require adequate calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients. Those aspects weren't addressed in this study.
The findings were presented at Experimental Biology 2005, a science conference in San Diego.
del.icio.us
VIVELLE-DOT (estradiol transdermal system) IS AVAILABLE BY PRESCRPTION ONLY.
INDICATION
Vivelle-Dot is used after menopause to: reduce moderate to severe hot flashes; treat moderate to severe dryness, itching and burning in or around the vagina; help reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis (thin weak bones); and treat certain conditions in which a young woman's ovaries do not produce enough estrogens naturally. Vivelle-Dot 0.025 mg/day is only used to prevent osteoporosis from menopause. If you use Vivelle-Dot only to treat your dryness, itching, and burning in and around your vagina or if you use Vivelle-Dot only to prevent osteoporosis from menopause, talk with your healthcare professional about whether a different treatment or medicine without estrogens might be better for you.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Estrogens increase the chances of getting cancer of the uterus (womb). Report any unusual vaginal bleeding right away while you are taking estrogens. Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb).
Do not use estrogens with or without progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes. Using estrogens with or without progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and blood clots. Using estrogens with progestins may increase your risk of dementia (decline in memory and thinking skills).
Vivelle-Dot should not be used if you have unusual vaginal bleeding; currently have or have had certain cancers, including cancer of the breast or uterus; had a stroke or heart attack in the recent past (for example, in the past year); currently have or have had blood clots; currently have or have had liver problems; or think you may be, or know that you are, pregnant.
The most common side effects that may occur with Vivelle-Dot are headache, breast tenderness, and back pain.
You and your healthcare professional should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with Vivelle-Dot.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Full Prescribing Information for Vivelle-Dot.
Taking Vitamin D and Calcium Together
Osteoporosis specialist Dr. Ethel Siris on why it's so important to take calcium with Vitamin D.
