Exercises To Strengthen Muscles and Bone Density

You encounter various problems while navigating through life. These include several problems that concern your general health. Aging impacts both physical abilities and looks. The loss of bone and muscles increases the fear of losing independence in old age. As we get older, our health deteriorates, and our risk of developing diseases starts to rise.

Numerous daily tasks require muscular strength and force as well as balance. Mostly hand grip strength is required for lifting and gripping heavy objects, such as while cooking, shopping, boarding a bus, performing heavy gardening, or cleaning. Any loss of bone and muscular strength limits our ability to execute even the most basic daily tasks.

Let’s read why it’s vital to strengthen bones and muscles, and how to achieve the same.

Physical makeup of bones

We all know that the human body comprises 206 bones, but have you ever wondered what exactly makes up our bones?

Bone is a heterogeneous tissue composed of two parts: an organic part made up of collagenous and non-collagenous proteins and cells, and a mineral component made up of hydroxyapatite.Calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals are found in bone.

Bone quality refers to a bone's ability to bear a wide range of stress without shattering. Bone strength, geometry, and mineral composition are all aspects of bone health.

Bone density is measured using BMD. A one standard deviation drop in BMD raises the risk of fracture by 1.6. Women with osteoporosis (extremely low BMD) have 16 times more fractures than women with normal BMD.

It is estimated that without exercise, only 30%-50% of potential bone mass can develop. It is critical to remember that bone is a living tissue that requires activity to be strong.

What are muscle made up of?

Do you know muscles play the most important role in our bodies' movement? Looking at athletes or gymnasts, one notices how flexible their bodies are, but in the real sense, it is their muscular system that allows for fluid movement in their bodies.

Along with bone, muscle is the major tissue of the musculoskeletal system. Muscular contraction is thought to be the main source of mechanical strain leading to bone adaptation, and they are mechanically, biochemically, and molecularly connected.

Muscular tissue is a specialized tissue that applies forces to different parts of the body by contraction. It is made up of thin and elongated cells called muscle fibers and helps in movement. They possess properties of contractility, elasticity, extendibility, and excitability. Skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscles are the major human body muscles.

The need for bones and muscle strengthening:

Fractures and sprains are frequent injuries that can happen to anyone at any age. Due to inadequate bone and muscular strength, even a slight fall or twist might result in a fracture or sprain.

Fractures damage the muscular and skeletal systems, causing chronic discomfort, loss of functional capacity, and lowering the quality of life. Some statistics demonstrate that fractures shorten people’s lives.

• By 2 to 6 years for those aged 60–65 years.
• 0.4 to 1.4 years for people over 80 years.
• Death risk increases by 2 to 4 times for fractures arising beyond age 80.
• Studies found that-1 in 3 women will develop osteoporotic fractures at some point in their lives.

Every movement you make daily is supported by the joint action of your bones and muscles. As we age, our bones and muscles lose strength. So, it's important to maximize bone strength starting in childhood to lower the chance of fracture throughout one's life. Physical activity has been shown in studies to boost your chances of living a healthy life.

Let us read about exercises that will help you build bone and muscle. Performing bone and muscle strengthening exercises will help to

• Increase bone density and strength.
• Prevent joint pain.
• Muscle coordination.
• Increase muscle strength.
• Improve balance.

5 bone-strengthening exercises

1. Weight-bearing exercises

Weight-bearing exercises work against gravity. These exercises include jogging, skipping, walking, trekking, ascending stairs, dancing, and playing tennis, football, and volleyball. Start incorporating any of them into your daily routine for at least 30 minutes every day to help build your bones.

According to studies, 7.5 miles of walking each week results in greater BMD across the body, So, every morning, begin your day with your ones by going for a brisk walk.

2. Resistance exercise

This activity supports bone strength. Some examples of resistance exercises are weightlifting, resistance bands, and band pulls.

Resistance training should be done dynamically four times per week with light loads and few repetitions.

3.Vibration exercise

Vibration exercises may sound unfamiliar as vibration as an exercise modality has recently gained attention. According to studies, mechanical vibration may improve bone density and bone strength by enhancing the internal structure of the bone.

In postmenopausal women, low-frequency vibration (3 times per week for 8 weeks) increased body balance by 29% and the femoral neck BMD by 4.3%.

4. Tai chi

The full-body exercise is the focus of tai chi, as it focuses on how every part is connected. It helps to build coordination and sturdy bones. Regular tai chi practice reduces the risk of falling and the deterioration of bones with age. It has been found to be effective by people of all ages.

5. Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise can stimulate the secretion of additional bone development factors, promoting bone salt calcification and deposition as well as the durability of bones.

5 Exercises to build muscle

Are you aware of how crucial muscle building is? According to standards, persons between the ages of 19 - 64 should engage in physical activity to improve muscle strength at least two days a week.

Here are a few exercises to help you with muscle buildup:

1. Stretching

Be aware that before beginning a workout, we must first stretch our bodies. And doing this will benefit your muscular system because stretching helps to lengthen muscle fibers and increase flexibility.

According to studies, you ought to stretch out your major muscle groups at least 2-3 times each week and hold each activity for 60 seconds. Examples include side bends, shoulder, butterfly, and hamstring stretches.

2. Aquatic exercise

Body balance and muscle strength can develop more easily in a pool's aquatic environment. Swimming and vertical water workouts are examples of aquatic exercises. According to studies, aquatic exercise improves all neuromuscular variables, like:

Flexibility: 26.6%

Handgrip strength: 13.4%

Strength of back extensor muscle: 26.2%

Strength of hip flexor muscles:18.5%

knee extensor muscles: 7.7%

3. Squats

You’re probably thinking that squats will help you tone your legs, but they also work your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, abdominal muscles, lower back, and buttocks. The most crucial exercise for increasing our body's muscle mass is squats.

Squats should be done slowly at first, and as you get stronger, you can add jumps to your routine.

4. Pushups and pull-ups

The chest, shoulders, and triceps can gain strength, bulk, and endurance with push-ups, which are wonderful exercises for the upper body. Pull-ups, for example, are a resistance workout that strengthens your grip and builds muscle.

5. Yoga

Yoga promotes muscle growth and/or strength preservation, which prevents diseases including osteoporosis, arthritis, and back discomfort. A study demonstrated that practicing yoga consistently enhanced muscle mass while reducing body weight and body fat.

Long-term benefits of strong muscles and bones:

After reading about the necessity of strengthening the bones and muscles in your body. What advantages it will bring must be on your mind. Maintaining musculoskeletal health throughout one's life is beneficial.

• Foremost aids in coordination and balance.
• Injury is avoided by having strong bones and muscles.
• Maintaining physical strength and power in middle and older age is related to a lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death.

Staying physically active can lower your chance of fracture, as evidenced by the following research statistics:

• Men who were active for one hour or more each day had a 49% lower risk of hip fracture in comparison to fewer active males.
• Women who reported walking for \exercise had a 30% lower incidence of hip fracture.
• The most active group had a 42% lower risk of hip fracture than the least active.

Conclusion

Genetic factors, insufficient physical activity, nutrition, and other factors are thought to contribute to this combined loss of muscle and bone. An exercise regimen is crucial for the treatment and prevention of diseases at all ages. For children and adults of all ages to develop strong bones and muscles, regular physical activity is crucial.