Exercise before it’s too late

Dr Rajeev K Sharma

Most of us have seen elderly people in the family or neighbourhood suffering from debilitating bone fractures of the arm, leg or hip due to osteoporosis. However, in what is an alarming new trend, cases of such osteoporotic fractures are now being observed in relatively younger people.

Complete lack of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle is the reason behind the reduction in average age of osteoporosis. Shilpa, 37, bent her ankle while walking to her car from office. What she initially considered a mild sprain turned out to be a hairline fracture of the ankle bone. A bone density test revealed her bones were as brittle as that of a 69-year-old woman. Living a largely sedentary life for many years, the only walking she did everyday was the walk from home to the elevator and then to the car in the morning, and the same from her office cabin to the car parking in the evening.

As a part of the normal ageing process, both men and women lose their bone density by 0.3 per cent to 0.5 per cent after the age of 35 years. Known as osteoporosis, the condition of extremely weak or ‘porous’ bones results from decrease in bone mass due to loss of bone mineral density. While due to anatomy and other physiological factors, the condition is more prevalent in women than in men, due to the change in lifestyle, there is an increase in incidence of osteoporosis in young urban.

Causes of early osteoporosis

Primarily, deficiency of calcium and vitamin D is the root cause of osteoporosis. Therefore, low intake of calcium, low sun exposure and a resultant deficiency of vitamin D, lack of physical exercise and poor habits such as smoking increase the risk of osteoporosis in young urban.

With technology making life easy, habits like walking to the neighbourhood store everyday or cycling to work are no longer practiced. Elevators have ubiquitously replaced stairs, common instruments like hand-pumps that required hard work are no longer needed with easy availability of water, and the facility of home deliveries has done away with the need to carry groceries home every day. All these conditions have drastically reduced human physical activity levels. 

Besides consumption of a bone-friendly diet, exercising is crucial to maintain bone health in the long run. Since bone is a living tissue, it becomes stronger when subjected to exercise. Loss of bone mineral density that begins during the 30s can be prevented by exercising regularly. People who exercise have greater peak bone mass as compared to people who do not. Weight-bearing exercises are ideal for the bones.

Weighty issue

Weight-bearing exercises are ideal for the bones. These put extra stress on the bones, making them to respond by building their strength. Any activity that forces your body to work against gravity can be called weight-bearing. These exercises help build bone strength and achieve a higher peak bone density. However, the intensity of weight bearing exercises should be decided according to the body’s strength and capability. 

Weight training: This involves lifting heavy weight and should be done by healthy people. It not only builds muscle but also increases bone health and density. 

Hiking: If you are an adventure lover, go ahead and indulge in hiking, trekking and mountaineering. This will not only fulfill your penchant for fun, but also help build your bones.  

Dancing & aerobics: For those who love to dance, there is nothing better than practicing every day. It will also be extremely good for your bones and muscles.

Running: Running is a good exercise for several reasons. It helps manage weight and keep the heart in good condition, and it also strengthens bones and muscles. 

Climbing stairs: This is another healthy way to strengthen bones and muscles and build stamina. Shunning elevators and climbing stairs every day is a life-long healthy exercise.

Brisk walking: For those who are not fit enough to perform any of the above due to health or other reasons must certainly do brisk walking for 30 minutes every day. This is a low impact weight-bearing exercise but has good effect on bones and muscles.

The writer is a senior consultant, orthopaedics & joint replacement surgeon, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi