1. DO regular weight bearing exercise such as walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, tennis, and dancing. Note: if you already have osteoporosis, you should consult your doctor or physiotherapist to make sure which exercise is safe for you.

2. DO strengthen your body, particularly your core and hips; Progressive resistance training is recommended for bone quality along with regular weight bearing exercise. (1) (2)

3. DO take in calcium and vitamin D, preferably in your diet, or as a supplement if recommended by your doctor.

4. DO get enough quality sleep. This allows your body to replenish and repair itself.

5. DO limit alcohol and tobacco.

A physiotherapist with expertise in this area can assess you and provide a comprehensive exercise program tailored to your needs, whether you have osteopenia, osteoporosis or just want to reduce the risk.

Look out for my next blog for more detail about exercise for healthy bones.

R. Sian Owen PT

(1) Howe T, Shea B, Dawson L, et al. Exercise for preventing and treating osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;(7):CD000333. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000333.pub2.www. cochranelibrary.com.

(2) 2010 clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis in Canada:summary Alexandra Papaioannou, Suzanne Morin, Angela M. Cheung, Stephanie Atkinson, Jacques P. Brown, Sidney Feldman, David A. Hanley, Anthony Hodsman, Sophie A. Jamal, Stephanie M. Kaiser, Brent Kvern, Kerry Siminoski, William D. Leslie and ; for the Scientific Advisory Council of Osteoporosis Canada CMAJ November 23, 2010 182 (17) 1864-1873; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.10077