How press-ups can keep your bones young
(It certainly works for me!)
Thanks to hours spent in the library, I once knew the name of every one of the 206 bones in the body, including my favourite: the innominate bone, which means ‘the bone with no name’. You’d know it as your hip bone.
More recently my interest in bones has gone from theoretical to very personal.
I recently had a DEXa scan (a type of X-ray that measures bone density) and discovered that although I have the spine of a 30-year-old, my hips are beginning to show signs of bone thinning, a precursor to osteoporosis.
I shouldn’t have been shocked (though I was) because osteoporosis runs in families — and my mother, who is 93, has it, which mainly affects her spine and often leaves her in a lot of pain.
as you get older, the risk of developing osteoporosis soars. Osteoporosis causes your bones to become thin, fragile and then fracture.
The charity age Uk says that around three million people in the country have the condition, but ‘worryingly few’ know they have it until they break a bone.
It is so common that half of all women and one in five men over the age of 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis.
Women are especially vulnerable, partly because their bones are thinner to start with and they go through the menopause, when levels of the female sex hormone, oestrogen, which plays a vital role in bone health, fall.
MIDDlE-agED women, especially those with a family history of osteoporosis, may want to consider hRT (hormone replacement therapy) because it is a proven way to prevent osteoporosis. If you have osteopenia(weak bones) or full blown osteoporosis, you may be offered a range of treatments, including bisphosphonates, such as alendronic acid, which slows down the rate at which bone is broken down.
But prevention is better than cure, so what can you do to keep your bones in good shape?
The first and best thing to do is to stress them. Your bones respond well to exercise, particularly anything that involves a lot of impact and compression.
skipping, football or tennis are especially beneficial for bones, so if you have been inspired by Wimbledon, get out on the courts. Resistance exercise (building muscle) is also good.
One reason why I have the spine of a 30-year-old is because I do quite a lot of press-ups. They not only help build muscle, but are also great for the bones in your spine. I do between 35 and 40 press-ups every morning (otherwise I never will).
The secret to doing press-ups is to start gradually and build up slowly. To ensure you have the right technique, google ‘nhs press-ups’.
The reason that the bones in my hips, unlike my spine, are showing signs of thinning is because I’m not doing enough impact exercise. I do a lot of cycling and brisk walking, which are great for the heart and lungs, but don’t build bone.
a few years ago I made a film where we compared the bone strength of fast bowlers, gymnasts and Olympic cyclists. although the cyclists were incredibly fit, their bones were surprisingly thin.
so I will have to start doing a bit more impact exercise, such as running. I really don’t enjoy it, but, for the sake of my hips, I will have to grit my teeth and get on with it. But it’s not only exercise, diet, too, is vital for strong bones.
It is important to get plenty of calcium in your diet, as it combines with other minerals to give bones their strength. The best sources are dairy, sardines, almonds, leafy green veg and tofu. The problem with so many people ditching cow’s milk in favour of replacements such as oat milk is that, unless they are fortified, they are unlikely to have as much, or any, calcium.
It is also vital to top up your vitamin D levels, as this helps your body to absorb calcium. To do that, go out in the sunshine without sun cream on for between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on how dark your skin is (but don’t burn).
Prunes may also be a good option. a recent review of clinical trials found that asking people to eat 100g a day — about ten prunes — led to improved bone density.
The researchers, from Penn state University in the U.s., said prunes trigger changes in the gut microbiome that seem to be good for your bones. as well, of course, as keeping you regular.