“Resistance training is key to aging well,” says Dr. Bilek. “It helps our bones, as well as helps us maintain our function and independence.”
Lifting weights properly is one way to improve bone health for the young and middle-aged, notes Dr. Bilek. “You really need to lift a weight that you can only lift about eight to 10 times before your muscles can’t lift it anymore for it to work effectively. That’s what the research is telling us: that you have to lift the weights right,” she says.
Teach patients not to bend over or twist while lifting weights, because even in a young patient that motion can cause a fracture, says Dr. Bilek. It’s important to keep the trunk in alignment to avoid potential harm.
“That’s one of the big factors we’re going to talk about in prescribing exercise,” she says.
At the other end of the spectrum are older patients with osteoporosis who have experienced fractures, but who may benefit from exercise using light weights. These patients typically have fragile bones and the risk of harm from exercise is much higher, cautions Dr. Bilek.
“Your treatment is going to have to be very tailored,” she says. “There isn’t really a one-size-fits-all model. It depends how fragile the bones are—because it can vary—and it also depends on whether they are in the active stages of healing.”
Down & Dirty 30: Therapeutic Exercise for Joint Health
The session on therapeutic exercise for joints will be presented by Yvonne Golightly, PT, MS, PhD, an injury/musculoskeletal epidemiologist in the Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her experience spans more than a decade of work as an orthopedic physical therapist and osteoarthritis (OA) researcher focusing on modifiable risk factors of OA.
Dr. Golightly will describe the role and challenges of exercise in joint health among people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases who may have changes in cartilage or bone. Her discussion will cover how to promote exercise and increase physical activity for patients with rheumatic diseases. She will include strategies for healthcare professionals to support the safe performance and progression of therapeutic exercise.
Some individuals with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases may not participate in regular exercise because they are worried that exercise will worsen their joint health and pain. Exercise has been shown to be an effective way to reduce joint pain and improve function. Moderate physical activity does not appear to harm articular cartilage, according to Dr. Golightly.
