So firstly, don't panic when you read this. But we do need to understand that our bone density decreases with age and for women this accelerates after menopause. Women’s risk of osteoporosis increases significantly after menopause, when our bone density loss rate increases from around 1% a year to more like 3%.
The best thing you can do to prevent osteoporosis is exercise! Low impact exercise such as walking and dancing are great, as are weight based exercises including bodyweight exercise like Pilates and weight training (please note if you already have osteoporosis you will need to speak to your medical professional about what's right for you but do keep moving).
Essentially anything where your muscles are working and pulling on your bones stimulates bone growth. That’s why it's SO IMPORTANT to be active and keep moving.
Weights are a really great way to build up muscle, even using small weights to start with. Adding weight to your regular workouts can really help us with both muscle mass and bone density, for example, if you use an exercise bike you could use some handweights and work your arms at the same time. And the best thing about adding weight is you don’t have to buy anything, you can get started by just using two tins of beans or bottles of water!
I've been trying to do more strength training myself since I turned 40 because I want to do my best to keep my bones and muscles as strong as possible as I get older (and there's a history of osteoporosis in my family which I'm keen to avoid).
Chaps, if you're thinking you've dodged a bullet, men still lose bone density with age and can get osteoporosis so activity is your friend!
The Royal Osteoporosis Society has created a brilliant online risk checker. Go in, answer honestly and see what it says for you.
Just remember that the most important thing to keep well is to keep moving. And it’s never too late to start!
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