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Give your bones a workout, say health experts

Only one in three men and one in four women are doing enough of the right bone-working exercises. [Photo: Getty]
Only one in three men and one in four women are doing enough of the right bone-working exercises. [Photo: Getty]

When we’re planning workouts our main focus areas follow a strict rotation of legs, arms, bum and tum.

But forget leg day, have you ever considered bone day?

Yes, apparently too many of us are neglecting our bones when exercising, says Public Health England (PHE).

The health body has launched a new report giving advice on ageing well through exercise, and it turns out working on your bone strength is a key way to slow down the ageing process, the BBC report.

The report says that while people understand the importance of doing aerobic exercise for a healthy heart and lungs, the importance of looking after overall strength is more lost on people.

Apparently, we should be doing strengthening exercises twice a week at least.

What exercises are best for strengthening?

To get your bones in motion, PHE and the Centre for Ageing Better suggest lifting weights or taking up activities like tennis or dancing.

Other activities that offer the most benefit include ball games, racket sports, dance, yoga, tai chi and cycling.

Nordic walking is also said to be highly effective (that’s walking with poles to work out the upper body along with your legs), and resistance training.

Health experts warn we should be taking up bone-strengthening exercises. [Photo: Getty]
Health experts warn we should be taking up bone-strengthening exercises. [Photo: Getty]

Why is working on your bones so important?

Muscle and bone strengthening workouts can reduce the risk of an early death.

The NHS say that being inactive makes your muscles and bones lose strength. This increases your risk of osteoporosis, falls and fractures, particularly for over 65s.

However, having strong bones can also help people in all stages of like through times when the body is put under stress, such as pregnancy, diagnosis or onset of disease and recovery.

For women, Estrogen plays a key role in bone health because it inhibits osteoclasts which break down bone, Newport Orthopedic Institute explains.

For women going through menopause experience, Estrogen levels drop and our bones are at more risk, meaning it’s beneficial to do regular weight bearing exercises that load the bone can also help maintain bone strength.

According to PHE, only one in three men and one in four women is doing enough of the right bone-working exercises.

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