Exercise for Bone Strength: What Actually Works
Exercise for Bone Strength: What Actually Works
If you've been told to “exercise more” for your bones, you're not alone. But what kind of exercise actually improves bone strength?
Surprisingly, not all exercise helps this objective. Swimming and cycling are great for the heart—but they’re low-impact and don’t do much to stimulate bone-building cells.
To truly strengthen your skeleton, you need the right type of loading.
Let’s break down what works—and how to do it safely and effectively.
🧱 Why Bones Need Load
Your bones are living tissue. Like muscles, they adapt to stress—but only when the stress is high enough. It’s just like any form of improvement, if the load is too low there will not be a stimulus for your body to respond and adapt which is our goal.
Bones respond best to:
- Impact and weight-bearing
- Muscle tension on bone
- Varied, unpredictable movement
When you challenge your bones, they send signals to osteoblasts (bone-building cells) to deposit more mineral density.
🏋️ The 3 Best Types of Exercise for Bone Strength
1. Weight-Bearing Impact Exercise
These are exercises where your feet (and/or hands) strike the ground, transferring force through your bones.
Best examples:
- Brisk walking - enough to make talking a bit uncomfortable
- Jogging
- Hiking uphill and downhill
- Step-ups and step downs
- Jumping rope or low jumps (if appropriate)
📌 Minimum: 30–45 minutes, 3–5 days per week
2. Resistance Training (Strength Work)
Lifting, pushing, or pulling against resistance loads the skeleton through the muscles.
Best methods:
- Bodyweight exercises: squats, lunges, push-ups
- Resistance bands
- Free weights or machines (get supervision if you don’t have the knowledge)
📌 Aim for 2–3 sessions per week, targeting major muscle groups
Bonus: Resistance work also improves muscle mass, balance, and joint control—essential for fall prevention. Best not to test your bone density with an unscheduled “fall”.
3. Balance & Core Stability Training
Balance reduces your risk of falling, which is key for fracture prevention. Core strength supports your spine and posture under load.
Great options:
- Tai chi or dancing
- Yoga or Pilates
- Single-leg balance drills (evaluate the space for risks). Graduate difficulty through shifting upper limb positions and vision restriction.
- Controlled trunk rotations with light resistance
📌 Include balance work at least 2–3 times per week
🚫 What Doesn't Work (for Bone Strength)
- Swimming: Great for heart and lungs, but low bone stimulation
- Cycling: Minimal bone loading—consider adding weight-bearing exercise
- Gentle stretching only: Good for mobility, but not for bone density
These aren’t bad exercises—they just shouldn’t be the only thing you do if bone strength is your goal.
🧠 How Chiropractic Can Help
As chiropractors, we assess:
- Spinal and joint movement under load
- Muscle imbalances that affect posture
- Balance and proprioception (especially in older adults)
We can also guide you on safe, progressive bone-loading movement—especially if you're recovering from injury, managing arthritis, or concerned about fracture risk.
✅ 3 Simple Things You Can Do Today
- Take a 30-minute brisk walk (preferably outdoors for vitamin D!)
- Add resistance 2x/week – squats, step-ups, bands, or weights
- Book a chiropractic check-up – assess posture, joints, and fall risk
Want to move with more confidence—and strengthen your bones while you’re at it? Book a chiropractic check-up today and get a movement plan tailored to your goals, spine, and bone strength.
