Exercise is vital to building strong bones.

Weight-bearing exercise - the kind that works against gravity - stimulates your muscles and builds the bones beneath them. The right kind of exercise increases bone density and muscle strength, and prevents falls and fractures due to increased balance, flexibility and coordination. Exercise also develops heart and lung capacity, increases endurance, reduces stress, and is key to weight loss. And we all know that exercise makes you look better and feel great!

Aim for thirty minutes of weight-bearing exercise three times a week.
This is key to bone health. The more bone mass you build before age 25 or 30, the better off you will be during the years of gradual bone loss. Exercise also helps you maintain bone density later in life. Remember, too that swimming and simply walking, although good for cardiovascular fitness, are not the best exercises for building bone.

Exercise: general health benefits
· Lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, arthritis
· Counters high blood pressure, depression, constipation, high cholesterol, back pain, poor circulation, anxiety, insomnia, menopausal symptoms
· Boon to the immune system

For general and heart health, aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity every day. These 30 minutes need not be done all at once; it's just as good to do 10 minutes at a time.

Examples of weight-bearing exercises to treat Osteoporosis include:
Strength training with weights Walking, hiking at a fast pace Stair-climbing Treadmills Dancing Low-impact Aerobics Squats Also vital are Balance exercises to build agility and coordination, and prevent falls.

Exercise to prevent Osteoporosis includes:

• Jogging/Running
• Sit-ups, Push-ups
• Ice-skating
• Roller Blading
• Soccer
• Volleyball
• Tennis
• Skiing
• Gymnastics
• Basketball

If you already have osteoporosis, you might wonder whether you should exercise at all. The answer for most people is YES. There are many exercises you can do to safely preserve bone and to strengthen your back and hips. Keep in mind, however, that exercise alone can't prevent or cure osteoporosis.

Need a specially designed bone-building fitness program?
Want to know how to target and strengthen specific areas with low bone mass?
What exercises you shouldn't do? How best to stretch, and relax?

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