Although our focus at the Kahn Center is the prevention of heart disease, the integrative approach we take strives for total body health. Bone health shares many features with heart health (exercise, healthy diet, optimal weight, limited alcohol, supplements, and good sleep to name a few). The loss of bone health also takes a tremendous burden on patients with heart disease.
The usual advice for fitness and bone health is to pursue weight-bearing exercise as opposed to swimming and biking. Beyond weight bearing, there has been evidence that “high-impact” exercises like gymnastics and box jumping preserve bone health. A study examined the simple act of hopping as a high-impact exercise and the findings are quite striking.
STUDY
The researchers investigated the effects of a high-impact exercise intervention on bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), and section modulus (Z) as well as imaging biomarkers of osteoarthritis (OA) in healthy postmenopausal women.
Forty-two women aged 55 to 70 years who were at least 12 months postmenopausal were recruited. The 6-month intervention consisted of progressive, unilateral, high-impact exercise incorporating multidirectional hops on one randomly assigned exercise leg (EL) for comparison with the contralateral control leg (CL).
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry or Dexascan (DXA) was used to measure BMD, BMC, and Z of the femoral neck. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knee joint was used to analyze the biochemical composition of articular cartilage to be sure the hopping did not injure tissues of the knee.
Thirty-five participants (62 years) completed the intervention.
Femoral neck BMD, BMC, and Z all increased in the EL (+0.81%, +0.69%, and +3.18%, respectively) compared to decreases in the CL (−0.57%, −0.71%, and −0.75%).
There was no indication that the intervention caused pathology progression.
CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, a high-impact exercise intervention that requires little time, cost, or specialized equipment improved femoral neck BMD with no negative effects on knee OA imaging biomarkers.
High-impact exercise is a feasible intervention to reduce hip fracture risk in healthy postmenopausal women. Jumping up and down, hopping back and forth, and jump roping are activities that might prevent bone loss over time.
An alternative activity that is available in some cities is a franchise called OsteoStrong that offers 4 exercise machines to apply loads on major bones to stress them without injury stimulating bone growth.
About the author: At his core, Dr. Joel Kahn believes that plant-based nutrition is the most powerful source of preventative medicine on the planet. Having practiced traditional cardiology since 1983, it was only after his own commitment to a plant-based vegan diet that Dr. Kahn truly began to delve into the realm of non-traditional diagnostic tools, prevention tactics, and nutrition-based recovery protocols.
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement. Additionally, it is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Content may be edited for style and length.
References/Sources/Materials provided by:
https://www.kahnlongevitycenter.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-kahn-md-757a59225/
