You want to save for retirement? Start early. Heard that one before? By starting early, your investments will grow through the years. When you stop working, you will be able to enjoy the benefits of your hard work. It works the same way for your bone mass.
The risks of developing osteoporosis depend on 2 factors.
Peak bone mass at maturity. (How big is your nest egg when you stop working)
Rate of loss in the following years. (How you spend it)
According to the Osteoporosis Association of Canada, 1 in 4 women over the age of 50 is affected by osteoporosis. This is not a women only problem. Men also lose bone mass as they age. But the drop is more pronounced in postmenopausal women. Estrogen has a protective effect on bone mass.
So how do you know if your bones are strong? Most doctors will routinely send you for a bone mineral density (BMD) scan. The scan will usually be of the hips and lower spine. This test will give you a T-score.
> 0 Bone is stronger than average
0 Normal BMD
-1.0 Osteopenia stage. Some bone mass loss, increased risk of fracture
-2.5 Osteoporosis stage. Significant loss of BMD. Greater risk of fracture
Bone loss can be prevented/slowed down by modifying certain lifestyle factors. You can increase your vitamin D and calcium intake. Also, smoking cessation and reduced alcohol intake will help. A very important one, and the focus of this article, is physical activity. Chan et al, sum it up this way.
Physical activity is vital for maintaining healthy bones throughout life and is an important factor in preventing osteoporosis, reducing falls, and decreasing the risk of hip fractures. The alarming increase in prevalence of osteoporosis apparently expresses a pressing need for a more active lifestyle among people of all ages.
Not all exercises are equal. A leisure walk is good for your overall health. It may improve your balance and prevent falls. But when it comes to improving bone mass, high impact exercises and resistance training is the way to go. A review article published in Sports Medicine, looked at all the recent research on exercise and bone mass. They concluded that high impact activities, especially before puberty, help bone mass accumulation. But what can you do if puberty is in your distant past? Improve your strength.
Resistance/strength training was found very effective and slowing or stopping bone loss. In some cases it may reverse it. So the sooner you start, the better it is. I know most women shy away from this. But there's a correlation between strength and BMD. On top of it, strong muscles will protect your joints better.
You don't have to work at it as if it was a part time job. Strength training 1-2 per week for 15-20 minutes can be enough. Focus on exercises that work a lot of muscles and aim for 2 sets of 12-20 repetitions. When 20 gets easy, increase the weight. Your workout could be as simple as one pushing exercise (Chest Press or Shoulder Press), one pulling (Rowing, Chin up, Pulldown) and one for legs (Squats or Lunges). Small, gradual and consistent increases will yield big results.
Your bone savings account may not look as you expected. But by being disciplined with your deposits, it may carry you a long way. Never too early, never too late.