Heavy resistance training may improve bone mineral density in older women with low bone mass
Women with low bone mass who have been through menopause could benefit from heavy resistance training, says a small study published in Osteoporosis International.Current advice for osteoporosis recommends moderate-intensity exercises, despite the lack of proven evidence of such interventions… due to a perceived risk of fracture from high-intensity loading. So experts from Australia decided to test the safety and efficacy of brief, bone-targeted, high-intensity progressive resistance training in older women.
A total of 28 women (average age of 66 years) were split into groups. Half did twice-weekly 30-minute supervised high-intensity resistance training and impact loading sessions for eight months, during which time the others did a twice-weekly 30-minute low-intensity home-based exercise programme. Bone, muscle and fat mass and functional performance were assessed at the start of the study and eight months later.
The high-intensity resistance training and impact loading was shown to improve height, functional performance and bone mineral density. As there were no injuries, concerns about the safety of this exercise strategy may not be founded in fact – but it is a very small study, so more research using greater numbers of people is needed before the advice is changed.
“Brief supervised high-intensity progressive resistance training with impact loading is a safe and effective exercise therapy for postmenopausal women with low to very low bone mass,” the researchers conclude.
A spokeswoman from Arthritis Research UK comments:
“This is excellent news. Although it is only a small study, it backs up what we know – that weight-bearing exercise is good for bone health in older people. Findings from our own researchers have shown that similar levels of heavy resistance training can also help women with rheumatoid arthritis to maintain muscle mass. The key is targeting this kind of intervention at people who are prepared to maintain this kind of exercise regime.”
Click here to read the original research.
Subscribe to Arthritis Digest, the UK’s fastest growing arthritis magazine for all the latest arthritis news, reviews and celebrity interviews. You’ll know what your doctor is talking about, what new drugs are in the pipeline and be up to date on helpful products. Hard copy and digital versions both available. Click here for more information.
Image credit: Umberto Salvagnin
