Jumping your bones?!?

[badatmath]

Couldn't quite resist that title but seriously I didn't know I was supposed to be jumping for exercise for the benefit of my bones. . . . My feet hurt so much of the time I cringe at mere thought. . .

Is anyone doing this?

"Impact exercises such as jumping chin-ups with drop landings and jump rope performed 50 jumps/session for at least 6 months with 3 or more days/week are recommended."

Position Statement: Exercise Guidelines for Osteoporosis Management and Fall Prevention in Osteoporosis Patients - PMC

The effectiveness of exercise for improving osteoporosis and fall prevention in patients diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia has not been fully summarized. The Korean Society for Bone and Mineral Research and the Korean Society of Exercise ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[RetiredHappy]

But it would make my face and boobs droop faster.

 

[athena53]

I'm listening to a Peter Attia podcast on bone health right now. Some exercises are markedly better at promoting bone growth. Running, swimming and bicycling aren't great (running because the shock of your foot hitting the ground is absorbed mostly by your feet). Anything involving jumping promotes bone growth; so does weight training. They have women over 50 in their studies who can dead-lift their body weight. And I thought I was doing well swinging 3- and 5-lb. weights around during cardio workouts.

 

[marko]

A comma after "jumping" would've made it clearer.

"Eats shoots and leaves" etc.

 

[aja8888]

Jumping won't make my two hip implants happy. Hell, I wore the hips out as a long distance runner years ago and no more running, either! I'll stick to golf once per week on average.

 

[aaronc879]

After my hip replacement at age 38 I was told to never jump again.

 

[pjm-7]

I've heard about this may be helpful for my osteoporosis. I'll stick to my other exercises like walking and yoga. I did vaulting back in my gymnastics years and the constant pounding on the running approach and landing resulted in very painful shin splints. I don't need to revisit that.

 

[yakers]

Dance & zumba seem to have worked so far (74, DW 76) gave away the jump rope we never used

 

[RetiredHappy]

Vitamin D3 with K2 and Fairlife (lactose-free, low carb) milk have reversed my osteopenia. I golf 4 to 5 days a week and that's plenty for me.

 

[badatmath]

A comma after "jumping" would've made it clearer.

"Eats shoots and leaves" etc.

I wanted people to read it. I didn't intend to be clear.

 

[Car-Guy]

I wanted people to read it. I didn't intend to be clear.

Well it made me look.

And FWIW, I've been getting annual bone density scans for about 5 years now. They are fast and cheap. My cost is 100% cover by my insurance and it only cost them ~$50. (So they say). The last one I got about a month ago, took about 10 mins (at the most) and by the time I got home, the results were already published on my account.

 

[W2R]

Seriously, a 76-year-old, white haired, nearly 300# woman like me, jumping? Whoever wrote that doesn't live in the same world that I live in.

 

[38Chevy454]

I've heard that just doing weight bearing exercise has good benefits. So walking more is good for your bones, if jumping can't be done. Same with yard work, or similar activities. Being sedentary is bad. Getting up and moving is good for you.

 

[whatnot]

I’ve heard that Rebounding is good for bone density. And it is easier on arthritic joints.

 

[badatmath]

I've heard that just doing weight bearing exercise has good benefits. So walking more is good for your bones, if jumping can't be done. Same with yard work, or similar activities. Being sedentary is bad. Getting up and moving is good for you.

Well I walked 10 miles today.

But these articles aren't really positive.
Brisk walking does not stop bone loss in postmenopausal women - PubMed

Effects of walking on the preservation of bone mineral density in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis - PubMed

But jumping was intriguing since I had really only ever heard weights were where the benefits came and assumed jumping = bad due to joint impact.

I've not had a scan I think they generally start them when you are older than my current age.

 

[More Cowbell]

If parkour had been around when I was a teen, I would have tried it! I always focused on landing softly when jumping or falling. However, 3 years ago I got an overuse injury after an early morning HIIT class with timed AMRAP plyometric jumps. Was not comfortable sitting for most of a year, I’d eat standing up, and DH drove me around. After 1 year of PT I returned to one-on-one training, slowly added group classes once I was stronger, bought an ebike and avoided high impact running or jumping. This year my DEXA scan indicated osteopenia and osteoarthritis in the injured hip. So now, besides increasing calcium intake, I’m working with an experienced trainer to add more weight bearing exercises to address the osteopenia issue. Recently I got to jump up on the very lowest plyometric box (6”) under supervision to make sure I was warmed up, and to prevent me from overdoing it. Learning to rest was the hardest lesson during PT for me!

 

[savory]

I added jump rope to my fitness routine about 30 years ago mainly as an aerobic exercise while business traveling (beiing in a hotel surrounded by 3 freeways and no sidewalks running was not an option). Also, playing sports where losers sat out, Jump rope allowed for continuing exercise, my main purpose for playing pickup. Recently , my jump rope has followed me to the pickleball courts from time to time.

I have mostly lived in homes with stairs and use stairs in place of elevators/escalators a lot of the time when in hotels, airports, etc for example. My current residence is 3 floors with no toilet on the main floor. So, to use the toilet, a flight of stairs is required. Not my favorite way to do my business but a great way to get bone impacting exercise. At least that is what DW and I tell each other.

I’ve not taken a bone density test but I have not had a broken bone from the falls I have experienced in team sports. I am also pleased with my balance while playing sports. Perhaps the impact exercise should receive credit but I really do not know.

 

[JoeWras]

Jumping won't make my two hip implants happy. Hell, I wore the hips out as a long distance runner years ago and no more running, either! I'll stick to golf once per week on average.

Ditto on degenerative disc disease sufferers. Jumping is incompatible with my back health.

Swimming it is.

 

[MarieIG]

I had heard that jumping is good for bone density, although it is not part of my exercise routine at this point. I did try jumping recently as I was curious whether I actually still could jump (I can). I would be afraid to jump on and off boxes (as shown in some of the demonstrations) as my balance is poor. I have a rebounder on my pilates machine, but that is not exactly weight bearing as I "jump" laying down.

My most recent "bone supplement" is something which I started doing for my pup. I make powdered egg shells from pasture raised eggs as the shells contain a number of nutrients beyond calcium. (It can be somewhat gritty.)

 

[pacergal]

I think I would trip on the jump rope and break a leg, unfortunately !
But I could add a few jumping exercises holding the back of a chair.
I try to do some resistance type exercises.
I am on meds for osteoporosis/osteopenia already.

 

[athena53]

I had heard that jumping is good for bone density, although it is not part of my exercise routine at this point. I did try jumping recently as I was curious whether I actually still could jump (I can). I would be afraid to jump on and off boxes (as shown in some of the demonstrations) as my balance is poor.

I'm pretty good at it but jumping jacks are definitely the hardest part of my workout. I do them only because I know they're good for my bone health. During the cool-down there are times when you stand on one foot and I try to maintain an arabesque position with a couple of small jumps. Typically I need to steady myself on the nearby kitchen counter!

Jumping on and off boxes, even only 6", sounds risky.

 

[MarieIG]

I'm pretty good at it but jumping jacks are definitely the hardest part of my workout. I do them only because I know they're good for my bone health. During the cool-down there are times when you stand on one foot and I try to maintain an arabesque position with a couple of small jumps. Typically I need to steady myself on the nearby kitchen counter!

Jumping on and off boxes, even only 6", sounds risky.

I'm in the waiting room for PT now. I'll try to remember to ask the therapist if it's ok for me to do jumping jacks but it's equally likely I'll remember on the way home.

Update: My PT looked as if I had asked her about taking up sky diving. In any event, it was a "no." (The diagnosis is severe degenerative disc disease and bilateral hip arthritis with bone spurs which "could be" psoriatic, per the orthopedic.)

 

[badatmath]

I tried jumping jacks this morning and **** I'm miserable at it. . . I didn't know I was so out of shape for that too. . . I"m not quite sure of the issue as my knees didn't hurt etc. I will try some more in a bit.

I'm too clumsy to jump on a box and not fall.

 

[ls99]

I stopped any form of jumping or running once out of the Army. No longer gatting paid to do it

Including from airplanes, jumping jacks etc.. My primary large effort stuff includes figure skating (no jumps! at a few dozen days away from age 77), swing dancing ex: this past sunday nearly 3 hrs of it, made for some 12 hrs of sleep that night, lumberjacking at my camp.

Using an old front wheel hub from my suburban, about 40 lb, to do some sets of weight lifting. And some free hanging about a minute each day.
A man has got to know his limitations

 

[Aerides]

Ask any doc that specializes in helping reduce bone loss, and they will recommend weight bearing exercises, if it's the only thing you do. Low impact, low sweat, just lifting heavy things and putting them down again.