Exercise & Bone Health

Exercise plays an important role in maintaining bone health.

Exercise plays a vital role in bone health throughout life—helping to maximise bone growth in childhood, maintain bone and muscle strength in adulthood, and preserve mobility and balance to prevent falls in later years.

Research shows that bones benefit most from controlled impact and muscle loading, Other types of exercise can be good for your general health (or something you enjoy) but specific exercise types are needed to strengthen bones effectively outlined below.

Types of Exercise for Bone Health

A combination of three key exercise categories is recommended:

1. Weight-bearing impact exercise
Activities performed on your feet that involve firm, rapid landing—such as jumping, jogging, skipping, stair climbing, dancing, and other impact sports.

exercise for supporting your bone health - step ups

2. Resistance training
Exercises involving the movement of weight (ideally using gym equipment), with progressive increases in intensity to build bone and muscle strength.

Weight bearing exercise

3. Balance training
Especially important for older adults to reduce falls. Balance exercises should progress to a high-challenge level and may include:
• Static balance (standing on one leg, heel-to-toe)
• Movement-based tasks (direction changes, stepping over obstacles)
• Dual-tasking (e.g., balancing while catching a ball)

Balance exercises

In older Australians balance and mobility exercises can help reduce falls which often lead to fractures. Half of all falls occur around the home and approximately a third of people over 65 fall each year. Preventing falls is important for bone health to help prevent fractures.

Falls are most commonly caused by

  • Poor muscle strength
  • Factors impacting balance eg: low blood pressure, inner ear problems, drowsiness/dizziness caused by certain medicines, poor nutrition
  • Poor vision
  • Home hazards that cause tripping
Tips for Preventing Falls

Who Should Seek Exercise Supervision?

Adults diagnosed with osteoporosis—including those recovered from a fracture—are encouraged to work with a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist. These professionals can tailor exercise safely, taking into account other medical or physical limitations (such as frozen shoulder, arthritis in a joint, pelvic floor conditions, etc).

Important tips

Any exercise program should start at your capacity and build over time. A consistent exercise routine is essential to benefit bone— age is not a barrier.

View Exercise Factsheet

Healthy Bones Australia Exercise Guide

This guide is based on guidelines published by Exercise and Sports Science Australia and is a general guide to appropriate exercise for supporting your bone health. This can be shared with a personal trainer as required. Note – exercise should be conducted within your capacity, and supervised exercise is recommended for people with diagnosed osteoporosis.

View Exercise Guide

Supervised Exercise Program

Healthy Bones Australia has aligned with an accredited exercise program called ONERO. This approach to training is based on research studies conducted in women and men with osteoporosis.

Please note: exercise professionals become ONERO Accredited Practitioners by completing the ONERO Academy program and are certified to deliver ONERO training to members of the public. The ONERO Academy program is accredited by Exercise and Sport Science Australia. The ONERO Academy program was developed by Professor Belinda Beck of Griffith University.

Find an accredited ONERO practitioner near you. Or Visit Onero Website for more information