| How can it be possible to improve your bone density | | | | who has lost her partner, then the gym, where most |
| and have fun at the same time? A group of scientific | | | | weight trainers are fully focused on themselves, can |
| researchers certainly thought it was possible. They | | | | be yet another experience of social isolation. |
| gathered together 45 older women who had passed | | | | THE FUN EXERCISE THAT'S GOOD FOR YOUR |
| menopause, and followed them for several months | | | | BONES |
| as they carried out chosen exercises that were | | | | Researchers from the School of Physiotherapy and |
| believed to improve bone density. One of them was | | | | Exercise Science at Griffith University knew that to |
| line dancing! | | | | maintain compliance in the long term exercise has to |
| YOUR BONE CELLS CHANGE WHEN YOU PUT THEM | | | | be easy to do, low cost, safe and appealing. So they |
| UNDER PRESSURE | | | | divided the women into groups. All the women put |
| Scientists have long known that pressure on bones | | | | their happy feet on and headed out to learn line |
| causes them to become stronger. When your | | | | dancing at least once a week. Some of the women |
| skeleton is exposed to weight bearing exercise, the | | | | did loaded leg squats or foot stamping at home too. |
| osteoblasts, cells that form bone, soon begin to | | | | THE WOMEN WHO WENT LINE DANCING GOT |
| outnumber the osteoclasts, cells which dissolve bone | | | | RESULTS |
| tissue for remodelling. In osteoporosis there's more | | | | The force of feet hitting the floor in line dancing |
| bone dissolving going on than building, resulting in | | | | exerted enough pressure to make a subtle positive |
| fragile bones that break all too easily. But how much | | | | difference in the bones of the participants over |
| weight do you need to put on your skeleton to have | | | | several months. But it did more than that: The |
| a safe but positive effect? | | | | women who participated reported better balance and |
| After all if your bones are already fragile, you don't | | | | stronger leg muscles, and the opportunity to have |
| want to exert them to shocks that could bring on | | | | fun in a group probably helped them psychologically |
| another break. Sit in any café in the world for | | | | too. I bet most of them are still dancing! |
| an hour or so and you'll see several older women | | | | How could you use this information to make a |
| hobbling past, nervously pushing their walkers and | | | | difference in your bone health? You know how |
| worried that the next fall could take away their | | | | important it is to exercise, and you know that weight |
| independence. | | | | bearing exercise is the best for stimulating bone |
| Many studies have looked at resistance training | | | | growth. Why not have fun in the process? You could |
| involving static weights at the gym. Although very | | | | join a local line dancing group, which will give you |
| effective, many people find it difficult to continually | | | | hours of dancing fun without needing a partner. Have |
| comply with an activity that they 'have to' do rather | | | | fun! |
| than look forward to. And if you're an older women | | | | |