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Updated: Jun 23, 2026
07:56
Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Exercise and bone mass in adults
Amelia Guadalupe-Grau1, Teresa Fuentes, Borja Guerra
1Department of Physical Education, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain.
Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)
|May 21, 2009
Summary
High-impact and resistance exercises are most effective for stimulating bone growth and preventing bone loss across all ages. While swimming offers no bone benefits, weight-bearing activities like running show limited positive effects.
Area of Science:
- Exercise physiology
- Bone biology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Exercise before puberty significantly enhances bone and muscle growth.
- Exercise can increase bone mass in adults and the elderly, mitigating age-related bone loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review cross-sectional and longitudinal studies on exercise training and bone measurements.
- To identify exercise modalities with the greatest osteogenic potential.
Main Methods:
- Review of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies on exercise and bone measurements.
- Analysis of various training methods, including high-impact, resistance, and unloaded exercises.
Main Results:
- High-force and high-impact exercises demonstrate the greatest osteogenic potential.
- Resistance exercises with high intensity and speed yield positive bone density results.
- Unloaded exercises like swimming have no effect; walking/running have limited effects on bone mass.
Conclusions:
- A combination of high-impact and weight-lifting exercises appears superior for bone stimulation in adults.
- Impact and resistance exercises are crucial for osteoporosis prevention.
- Further research is needed to determine optimal exercise protocols for different demographics to improve bone mass and reduce fracture risk.
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