Weight-bearing exercises are activities in which your bones and muscles work against the force of gravity while in an upright position. Examples include walking, dancing, hiking, jogging, and playing tennis.
These exercises are beneficial because they stimulate bone-forming cells known as osteoblasts. “Osteoblasts are activated when mechanical stress is placed on the skeleton through weight-bearing exercises, and this process can lead to bone remodeling,” says Joseph Hribick, DPT, a clinical assistant professor of physical therapy at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania. This causes new bone to form, which helps preserve bone mineral density over time. “Another great benefit of weight-bearing exercises is that they also enhance muscle strength, which further supports and stabilizes the bones,” Hribick notes. “This is especially the case in the hips and spine, where fractures are most common.”
If you’ve been diagnosed with osteoporosis or previously broken a bone, check with your doctor before engaging in high-impact weight-bearing activities. More than likely, they’ll encourage you to stick to low-impact weight-bearing options instead, such as:
- Walking
- Low-impact aerobics
- Tai chi
- Using an elliptical trainer
- Using a stair-stepper
If you are unable to walk, you can benefit just from standing up periodically.
And if you’re unable to stand, you can still get some of the benefits of weight-bearing exercises by lifting light weights while seated or doing chair calisthenics, such as leg lifts and other exercises that use your own body weight for resistance.