Osteoporosis, falls and exercise |
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Authors: | Agustín Meléndez-Ortega |
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Institution: | (1) Facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte—INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Martín Fierro s/n, Madrid, 28040, Spain |
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Abstract: | Osteoporosis, a manifestation of bone atrophy that leads to great susceptibility to fractures, is a very important public
health problem today because of its great morbidity, mortality and important economic repercussions. It is a problem that
will tend to become more serious with the increase in the number of elderly persons. Bone mass is gained during adolescence,
reaches a plateau during the third decade and remains stable until approximately age 50, after which a progressively gradual
loss is observed. There is no real cure for osteoporosis, but a series of strategies can be used to reduce bone loss and improve
bone mass. Osteoporosis has been considered a disease that accompanies the process of ageing; however, this fatalistic attitude
should be discarded, as it is possible to correct and decrease the risk factors. Intervention strategies are based on three
pillars: nutrition, physical activity and pharmacological agents. Physical activities and exercise programmes are important
because they not only can counter the loss of bone mass but also improve neuromuscular capacity, maintaining and increasing
strength and muscle mass, which can help to avoid falls and reduce their impact and consequences. The general principles that
apply to any exercise programme also apply to preventing bone mass loss. They also can be applied to persons with osteoporosis.
However, to understand the peculiarities of these programmes, the propensity for suffering fractures of these former groups
should be kept in mind. Special care should be taken to avoid falls and injuries. Weight-bearing exercise and resistance training
are recommended for the prevention programmes. Other activities such as tai-chi, dancing, gymnastic or callisthenic exercises
can help to improve balance, gait and muscle coordination and diminish the risk of falling. These programmes should be complemented
with postural education and a series of safety precautions. |
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Keywords: | Osteopenia Weight-bearing exercise Ageing Physical activity Resistance training Fall prevention |
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