As China enters an aging society, osteoporosis and its serious consequence, osteoporotic fracture, pose a serious threat to the lives and health of patients due to its high prevalence and mortality rate. How to strengthen bones and prevent osteoporosis is a topic of health concern for everyone.
Bone is a very active organ, from birth to adulthood to old age, every moment is in the bone formation and bone resorption activities, and exercise is the fundamental measures to strengthen the bones.
1.Bone has biomechanical adaptation function
Bone as an organ of the human body, its basic form is determined by genes, that is, born. But the bone in the human growth and development stage and even after adulthood to old age, are in a dynamic process of change, it can make a corresponding response to the various stimuli inside and outside the body, and one of the very important factors is the mechanical load on the bone.
What is the mechanical load on the skeleton? We know that the earth’s gravity has a corresponding load on the bones, and we usually exercise, walk, stretch ourselves and muscles will also produce a certain mechanical force on the bones, these are the mechanical load on the bones. Research has shown that bone has functional adaptability, the cells in the bone have mechanosensitive properties, they can feel the mechanical changes applied to the bone, regulate bone formation and bone resorption, continuous modification and remodeling of their own, to achieve maximum bone strength with a minimum amount of bone.
When bones are subjected to greater mechanical stresses such as exercise, in order to resist fracture, bone mass increases and bones become strong; while in the case of bed rest, bones are subjected to less mechanical stresses, bones do not need to become strong, bone mass is lost and reduced, and osteoporosis occurs. Mechanical stress strain is the basic motive force of bone building and remodeling, and the structure and quality of bones will adapt to mechanical factors to change accordingly. And exercise is the effective mechanical action that we can usually exert on the bones.
2.No exercise or weight loss leads to bone loss
Rapid bone loss in long-term bedridden patients The mechanical load borne by the skeleton is weakened when a person is bedridden, there will be bone loss, especially strict bed rest, the bone loss of nearly 1% to -2% per month. Tests on bone tissue revealed that bone formation was only slightly diminished during bed rest, but morphological and biochemical indicators of bone resorption were significantly altered, suggesting that our bone mass changes were mainly caused by enhanced bone resorption.
Bone loss in space astronauts under weightlessness Astronauts are in a weightless state in space, when the bones are no longer subjected to the mechanical load formed by Earth’s gravity. Physical examination of the astronauts revealed a significant imbalance in bone metabolism, with significant bone and calcium loss. Their bone calcium loss during space flight was similar to that of patients with osteoporosis, but the rate of loss was 10 times that of postmenopausal patients with osteoporosis. The mechanism of bone loss during spaceflight is similar to that of prolonged bed rest, mainly increased bone resorption without significant changes in bone formation.
The above two cases remind us that the mechanical aspects of the bone can be exerted by means of exercise, is conducive to enhancing bone health and preventing bone loss as a fundamental measure.
3.The effect of exercise on bone
Childhood and adolescent development is the most rapid human growth and development of the key period, the bone undergoes growth, construction, remodeling rapid changes. Bone mass increases substantially during adolescence, reaching a peak bone mass between the late 20s and near 30 years of age. Although peak bone mass is primarily determined by congenital genetic factors, among the acquired factors, the mechanical loading effect generated during exercise is an equally important determinant of peak bone mass.
A study of tennis players found that the BMD of the arm with a racket was significantly higher than that of the arm without a racket in athletes who began training during adolescence; a study of gymnasts and retired gymnasts found that the BMD of weight-bearing parts of gymnasts was significantly higher than that of the general population, and even though athletes retired from sports with reduced exercise, their whole-body BMD was still significantly higher than that of the general population. It can be seen that physical exercise in adolescents is conducive to obtaining higher peak bone mass, which will also correspondingly increase the threshold for the occurrence of osteoporosis in the human body and delay the occurrence of osteoporosis.
The development of good physical exercise habits during adolescence and maintenance into adulthood can also prevent the occurrence of other chronic diseases. So when conditions allow, adolescents can choose sprinting, high jump, hurdles, dance, judo and other jumping and climbing class strength training and basketball, tennis and other ball weight exercise.
4, the elderly exercise to prevent bone loss and reduce the occurrence of osteoporotic fractures
There are many studies at home and abroad that show the role of exercise in promoting bone health in the elderly. For example, it was found that aerobic exercise for the elderly can effectively maintain bone mineral salt content, delay bone loss and prevent the occurrence of osteoporosis; men who exercise for a long time can maintain higher bone density and bone mineral salt content. Foreign researchers have likewise confirmed the beneficial effects of exercise on bone health in middle-aged and older adults, finding, for example, that the effect of exercise on bone mass in postmenopausal women was site-specific and correlated with exercise load intensity, with bone mass increasing at the site of skeletal muscle attachment. In numerous studies, weight-bearing exercise has been found to be more beneficial for bone mass maintenance compared to non-weight-bearing exercise.
Physical activity in older adults not only increases bone mass and slows bone loss, but also enhances muscle strength, improves balance, reduces the chance of falls, and prevents fractures. Older adults participating in outdoor sports also increase sun exposure time. Ultraviolet radiation stimulates the synthesis of active vitamin D in human skin, which promotes intestinal calcium absorption and maintains bone calcification.
5.How should we exercise
(1) Exercise for adolescents
Numerous studies at home and abroad have found that resistance strength sports such as sprinting, high jump, hurdles and other jumping and climbing sports and aerobic endurance sports, such as middle and long distance running, can stimulate bone mass increase during the growth period, but strength sports can help bone mass growth more than endurance sports. The researchers also compared the effects of weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing sports on bone. Soccer, basketball, tennis, dance, judo and karate are all common weight-bearing sports with impact, and non-weight-bearing sports are common for various water sports, mainly swimming. Scientists have found that weight-bearing sports are more stimulating to the bones than non-weight-bearing sports, and weight-bearing sports, especially regular weight-bearing sports, are more beneficial to adolescents to obtain higher peak bone mass.
Therefore, in order to strengthen the bones, adolescents can choose more strength training and weight-bearing exercises like jumping and climbing classes and balls when conditions permit.
(2) Exercises for the elderly
Older adults also have a variety of exercise options. Weight-bearing exercise is subject to ground reaction force, the load on the vertical surface of the skeleton is greater than other sports, and the skeletal muscle is constantly contracting and pulling to stimulate the skeleton, so the stimulation of the skeleton is enhanced, so some weight-bearing exercises suitable for the elderly, including dancing, bicycling, rowing, hiking, etc., or similar cricket, tennis and other ball sports, combined with resistance exercise can effectively protect the lumbar spine, the femur, the hip joint, etc. femur, hip joint and other places of bone mass, to prevent bone loss. And some Tai Chi, walking and other non-weight-bearing aerobic exercise, although compared to weight-bearing exercise on the bone stimulation to be less, but also can play a role in maintaining bone mass. For example, Tai Chi, in the movement of the waist as the axis to drive the limbs, the movement changes to maintain the body’s center of gravity, long-term practice can help the waist and femoral neck area to accumulate minerals, so that the health of the lumbar spine and femur is improved. Long-term adherence to these exercises can also increase the mobility of joints, improve muscle strength, and enhance body coordination and balance.
The elderly must pay attention to the amount and intensity of activity during exercise, and choose the right exercise for themselves according to their health and exercise habits. When exercising outdoors, it is best to choose a spacious site with fresh air and no obstacles. When exercising, it is better to master the breathing rhythm, the movement amplitude should not be too large, master the balance to prevent falls.
No matter young people or middle-aged or old people, the prevention of osteoporosis can not be separated from exercise, I hope you can choose a favorite, suitable exercise, strengthen the exercise, have a pair of strong bones.