Jump to content
IndiaDivine.org

Vigorous exercise may slow women's bone loss

Rate this topic


Guest guest

Recommended Posts

Guest guest

Vigorous exercise may slow women's bone loss

2004-05-24 16:00:27

 

---

-----------

 

By Amy Norton

 

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who run, jump and pump iron after

menopause may ward off bone loss, back pain and high cholesterol, a

study released Monday suggests.

 

Researchers in Germany found that a supervised exercise program that

included running, aerobics, jumping and strength training helped

prevent bone loss among postmenopausal women over a two-year period.

 

Compared with non-exercisers, women in the program reported less

back pain and had lower cholesterol levels, according to findings

published in the May 24th issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

 

The study's lead author, Dr. Wolfgang Kemmler of the University of

Erlangen, pointed out that the study focused on women who had

recently gone through menopause, a time when bone loss accelerates

and heart disease risk rises due to declining estrogen levels.

 

Experts know exercise can cut the risk of both cardiovascular

disease and the brittle-bone disease osteoporosis, but different

types and intensities of activity may be necessary. While moderate

exercise like walking can be enough to improve fitness and general

health, it may take higher-impact activity that puts some stress on

the bones to make a difference in bone density.

 

Kemmler told Reuters Health his team's exercise plan had a " multiple-

purpose strategy " aimed primarily at preventing bone loss, and also

boosting cardiovascular fitness and quality of life.

 

The study included 50 women between the ages of 48 and 60 who took

part in the exercise program, and 33 women the same age who were

told to follow their usual lifestyle habits. All of the women were

showing some bone-density decline in the spine or hip, and all were

given calcium and vitamin D to help slow their bone loss.

 

Women in the exercise group went through a supervised program that

grew in intensity over time and eventually got them running,

performing jumping exercises and strength training with weights,

machines and other equipment. They exercised four times a week, with

half the time spent in group classes, the other half at home.

 

After two years, Kemmler's team found that the exercisers showed

improved endurance and strength, while their bone density remained

largely stable, and even increased in the spine. In contrast, women

in the comparison group remained at the same level of fitness and

showed further bone loss.

 

In addition, women in the exercise group saw a dip in blood fats,

including total cholesterol and triglycerides, while these levels

tended to go up in the comparison group. Back-pain complaints also

declined in the exercise group.

 

This latter finding, Kemmler and his colleagues note, shows that,

despite the fact that high-impact exercise carries a risk of causing

low-back pain, a " carefully increased exercise regimen " can actually

help ease the problem.

 

Kemmler stressed the importance of progressing toward intense

exercise such as jumping. " During the first months of our study the

exercise regime was increased slowly, " he said, noting that high-

impact activities did not begin until the fifth month to reduce the

risk of injury.

 

He advised that postmenopausal women who want to ramp up their

activity levels should first consult their doctors, then take part

in supervised programs or classes.

 

SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, May 24, 2004.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...