We all know that sports like cycling and swimming can do wonders for cardio fitness, addressing health concerns, and preventing issues like heart disease. But what exercises exist out there to help us improve the health of our bones?
If you’re looking to increase your bone health game, you’re in the right place. Research now shows us that osteogenic exercise is an amazing tool for improving bone density and bone health. If you’re looking to transform an unhealthy bone issue into a healthy bone celebration, exercises like these just may be the key!
Let’s take a closer look at the way physio led exercise classes can do wonders to improve bone density and bone health.
How Physio Helps Your Bones
Many people don’t realise it, but physiotherapy can be an effective way to both maintain and improve bone health. Here are some of the ways physio will work to help your bones:
Please remember that this is a general list, not tailored to a specific bone health condition. If you have concerns about your bone health, speaking with a physiotherapist or healthcare provider can help to identify appropriate strategies to improve your bone health and reduce your risk of injury.
Making Muscular Support Stronger
One of the main reasons why people dismiss physiotherapy as a treatment for bone health is because, for many, physical therapy is something done only for muscles. But our muscles and bones are intrinsically connected, and helping one will often work to help the other.
Supporting the strength of the muscles that hold our bones in place is essential for creating good bone health. When seeking treatment, physiotherapy can include exercises and techniques to strengthen these muscles, supporting the bones and reducing the risk of future fractures.
Improve Bone Mineral Density
Physio can also be a great tool to help improve a person’s overall bone mineral density.
Bone mineral density (BMD) is a measurement that looks at your bone down to the bone tissues and bone marrow, to determine how many minerals are in your bones. These tests are often conducted to diagnose conditions like osteoporosis, as a lack of bone mineral density can indicate overall bone weakness.
In many cases, weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, and resistance training, can help to improve bone mineral density in patients, helping overall bone health. In fact, researched evidence shows us those who regularly exercise will achieve peak bone mass (a combination of high bone density and bone strength) sooner than those who do not.
Improving Pelvic Health
Research shows that women who experience pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, such as prolapse or incontinence, are less likely to engage in the exercise required to improve bone health. At Sydney Pelvic Clinic, we are passionate about addressing these barriers to safely and confidently have you participating in exercise again.
Building Better Mobility
Finally, physio is a great tool for improving bone health because of the way physio can help you improve mobility and find better stability and balance.
One of the easiest ways to keep the body healthy is to keep it moving. For many people, physiotherapy classes are a resource to help them maintain and improve mobility, simply by keeping themselves moving.
Having stable mobility is important for two reasons: better muscle strength to support bones, and reduced risk of future falls leading to fractures and breaks. The latter in particular is what makes physio such a huge benefit for those with weakening bones, helping to prevent potential injuries.
Simple Ways to Improve Bone Health
Before we dive into the joys of physio, we thought we’d provide a few additional tips for improving your bone health. If you’re looking to build better bones, any of the following may help along the way:
Get Your Vitamin D
Getting your Vitamin D in is key for improving bone health! Vitamin D has strong links to bone health, helping us to decrease bone loss and reduce our risk of bone break and bone fracture. In fact, research today indicates that Vitamin D is a great way to help prevent and treat bone health conditions like osteoporosis.
Prioritise Daily Exercise
Daily physical activity is also a great treatment option for those looking to improve bone health. As we touched on above, physical treatments like physical therapy can do a lot for bone health, with many treatments mimicking exercise. In fact, the National Institute of Health currently praises muscle-building and weight-bearing exercise in particular as being good for improving bone health.
Increase Your Calcium
Calcium, such as Vitamin D, Vitamin A, and Vitamin K, is a mineral that has been linked to improving overall bone health. Healthy Bones Australia recommends 1,000-1,300mg a day for adults to maintain proper bone health.
Those looking to increase calcium intake should start with their diet first, before turning to supplements. Try increasing your daily intake of foods like milk, cheese, or green leafy vegetables like kale or spinach, as a natural source of calcium.
Try Postnatal Physio
Finally, our top tip for recovery is incorporating some form of postnatal physio into the recovery process.
Postnatal physiotherapy is an amazing tool for recovering from different kinds of birth injuries. The exact treatment will vary from patient to patient depending on their specific condition, but in general, all patients going through a postnatal recovery process should find something to take away from postnatal physio.
If you want to give physiotherapy techniques a go on your own, there are a few things you can try! Start with gentle pelvic floor exercises that focus on strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, such as Kegels or abdominal breathing techniques, to strengthen the pelvic floor during recovery.
What To Expect From Physio-Led Classes
We now know that exercises, particularly osteogenic exercise, can do a lot to stimulate bone growth and promote healthy bones. Those looking to improve bone health could use physio-focused classes as a great place to start but may be curious about what to expect.
When it comes to addressing bone health, you can expect higher energy and higher impact exercises in your classes. In many cases, classes will involve movements like stepping, marching, and jumping. Low impact exercises like cycling or swimming won’t work here, as it’s the stress and pressure on our bones as a result of exercise impact that is promoting bone growth.
For further insight, watch this video from our clinic here:
Exploring Classes at Sydney Pelvic Clinic
If you want to try a physio-led class to improve bone health, visit us at Sydney Pelvic Clinic! We offer a wide range of physio-focused classes that address everything from overall physical therapy needs to targeted treatments such as pelvic floor therapy, or classes for new mothers. You can click here to explore all of our class offerings.
Alternatively, if you’d like to contact us to learn more about our practice or book a consultation, please click here. Our team is happy to answer any questions you may have and connect you with the healthcare services you need to build strong bones.
