As you realise, muscle mass naturally diminishes with age and of course if you allow this entropy to spiral unchecked then you will increase the likelihood of relative fat increasing.
Strength training is your best tool for counteracting loss of muscle mass. It also helps you:
- Develop strong bones. By stressing your bones, strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. If you already have osteoporosis, strength training can lessen its impact.
- Control your body fat. As you lose muscle, your body burns calories less efficiently — which can result in weight gain. The more toned your muscles, the easier it is to control your weight.
- Reduce your risk of injury. Building muscle protects your joints from injury. It also helps you maintain flexibility and balance — and remain independent as you age.
- Boost your stamina. As you grow stronger, you won’t fatigue as easily.
- Improve your sense of well-being. Strength training can boost your self-confidence, improve your body image and reduce the risk of depression.
- Get a better night’s sleep. People who strength train regularly are less likely to struggle with insomnia.
Improvements in muscle strength, function, pain and quality of life can be achieved through strength training. Importantly for osteoporosis prevention and management, strength training can maintain or even improve bone mineral density
There are common terms sprinkled across research and extension articles on the topic of bone mass, three of which need to be clarified:
- Osteopenia is a decrease in bone mass or thinning of bone mass that is not severe. It is commonly found in people age 50+ that do not have osteoporosis.
- Osteoporosis is characterized by a progressive loss of bone mass density (bone strength) and is a contributing cause of spinal compression fractures.
- Osteoporosis can cause a loss of height, stooped posture and severe pain. Bone mineral density (BMD) testing measures bone mass and helps determine if a patient has either of these metabolic disorders.
Both men and women can develop osteoporosis but is not necessarily a normal part of aging; it is a preventable disease. Reducing the risk of a fracture is an important factor in osteoporosis management. Strength training can reduce the risk of fracture by:
* improving bone mineral density
* improving muscle strength which can reduce the risk of falls and thus the risk of fracture.
Strength training is also beneficial for the prevention and management of other chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease and is useful in the management of arthritis.
The principles of strength training that apply to the healthy population also apply to people with osteoporosis, however more consideration needs to be given to safety aspects surrounding changes in bone strength and previous fractures associated with osteoporosis.
Before starting a strength training program it is strongly recommended that people with osteoporosis see the appropriate health professional (eg. Physiotherapist or exercise physiologist). A health professional will complete a thorough assessment and design the most appropriate program for the individual. Do so in consultation with your GP. People with osteoporosis or any chronic condition, or those who have not participated in strength training previously, should also be “cleared” by their doctor before participating in a strength training program.
This will ensure any complications, medication side effects and other medical conditions which could be exacerbated by strengthening exercises, are less likely to occur.
Strength training programs do not have to be complex in order to be manageable and effective. A simple program using free weights with one or two exercises addressing each major muscle group is usually enough to provide an improvement in strength and function.
Importantly, for osteoporosis prevention, the stress applied to the bone through strength training must reach a threshold level for an increase in bone mineral density to occur. This means moderate to high intensity strength training is recommended for the prevention of osteoporosis but be guided by your health professional
Strength training exercises should not cause pain, and any that do should be stopped and reviewed by the health professional who prescribed the program.
To obtain the most benefit from strength training, participants should complete their program two to three times per week and progress the intensity of the exercise under the guidance of their health professional.
Recent research indicates the growing emphasis on strenth-based training for at risk people is well placed. A paper presented at an annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine summarized study results about bone mineral density in the elderly.
In the study, researchers sought to discover the affects of aerobic exercise and lumbar extension resistance training on bone mineral density. Treadmill walking and stair climbing made up the aerobic activity and a MedX machine was used to train and measure lumbar extension resistance exercise. Thirteen men and 22 women in good health aged 60-82 participated in the study.
The results of the study showed thatsSpecific lumbar extension resistance exercise can increase lumbar bone mineral density in an elderly person in six months.
The study results make an important point; that specific types of resistance exercise can help to increase bone mass. However, recognizing that no two patients are the same, not everyone with low bone mineral density will respond the same as the patients who participated in the study.
Article with thanks to AltDirt.
Tags: Strength training gym bodybuilding osteoporosis health adventure racing mountain biking kayak kayaking race anatomy bones endurance osteopenia sports medicine exercise flexibility stamina athletes sportsmen run ride jog multisport
