Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsLow vs. High-Impact ExercisesCore ExercisesWeight-Bearing ExercisesHip ExercisesSpine ExercisesFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Low vs. High-Impact Exercises
Core Exercises
Weight-Bearing Exercises
Hip Exercises
Spine Exercises
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’ve been diagnosed withosteoporosis, you’ve likely been told which activities to avoid to prevent additional fractures, falls, or permanent disability.
Certain types of exercise can indeed increase your risk of injury. However, there are many low-impact, weight-bearing, and strengthening exercises that you can safely do to fortify bones and muscles in your hips and spine and improve your overall function.
This article discusses hip and spine exercises that can be safe to perform when you have osteoporosis.
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Check With Your Healthcare ProviderCheck with your healthcare provider before starting any new exercise program. If you are concerned about exercising safely, or if your osteoporosis is severe, consider seeing aphysical therapistfor an individualized exercise plan.
Check With Your Healthcare Provider
Check with your healthcare provider before starting any new exercise program. If you are concerned about exercising safely, or if your osteoporosis is severe, consider seeing aphysical therapistfor an individualized exercise plan.
When choosing safe exercises to perform with osteoporosis, first consider whether the activity is low or high impact.
High-impact exercises are usually high-intensity exercises that place a lot of stress on your joints. They usually involve running and jumping. Low-impact exercises, such as swimming or walking, place less strain on your joints.
High-impact exercises are not appropriate for people who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis.Increased pressure through your already-weakened bones can significantly increase your risk of fractures.
High-impact exercises also increase the risk of falls, which can lead to fractures.
Core exercises target muscles in the trunk and pelvis that help stabilize the spine and hips. Choose core exercises that keep your spine straight—for some people, repeated forward bending (such as during traditional sit-ups) or bending over while holding weights, can increase risk of spinal fracture.
Kneeling Plank
This exercise is a modification of a more traditional plank. Perform it as follows:
If this position is too challenging, lower yourself to your elbows, with your forearms resting on the ground.
Pelvic Tilt
Pelvic tilt exercises help to strengthen and stretch your abdominal muscles. They are done in the following way:
Progressing Pelvic TiltsOnce you’ve mastered the basic pelvic tilt, add movements to make this exercise harder. While holding the position, add some marching. Lift one foot a few inches off the ground, then lower it. Repeat on the opposite side.
Progressing Pelvic Tilts
Once you’ve mastered the basic pelvic tilt, add movements to make this exercise harder. While holding the position, add some marching. Lift one foot a few inches off the ground, then lower it. Repeat on the opposite side.
How to Do a Pelvic Tilt
Weight-bearing exercises are particularly important if you have osteoporosis.These exercises, performed in a standing position, place “healthy” stress on the bones in your spine and legs, making them stronger.
Weight-bearing exercises that can be safe for people with osteoporosis include:
When Weight-Bearing Exercise Is UnsafeWeight-bearing high-impact exercises, such as jogging or dancing, can put too much pressure on your weakened bones if you have osteoporosis. You are also at higher risk of falling, which can lead to fractures.
When Weight-Bearing Exercise Is Unsafe
Weight-bearing high-impact exercises, such as jogging or dancing, can put too much pressure on your weakened bones if you have osteoporosis. You are also at higher risk of falling, which can lead to fractures.
Exercises for Osteoporosis
Hip Osteoporosis Exercises
In addition to weight-bearing activities, you can also practice exercises to increase the strength of muscles around your hips when you have osteoporosis.
How to Stay Consistent When Beginning to Work Out
Clamshells
Clamshell exercises can help stabilize and strengthen your hips. To perform clamshells:
Bridges
The bridge exercise helps strengthen your glutes (butt), stabilize your core, and can help relieve back pain. To perform bridges:
Standing 4-Way Hip Exercise
This exercise requires balance, so if you have challenges balancing, hold onto the back of a chair or counter for support. Perform this exercise as follows:
Spine Osteoporosis Exercises
Strengthening muscles around your spine can improve your posture and stability if you have osteoporosis.
Superman Back Extension
Look at the ground to reduce strain on your neck. Perform it in the following way:
If you experience pain while doing this exercise, you should ask your healthcare provider if it is an appropriate exercise for you, and if you’re performing it with the correct form. While this can be a beneficial exercise for strengthening muscle, proper form is important to avoid pain and other complications.
Bird Dog Exercise
Chin Tucks
Chin tucks target and strengthen neck muscles. To perform chin tucks:
Don’t Forget to Stretch
Simple Yet Effective Lower Back Stretches
Summary
Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens your bones and carries risks for many types of exercise. However, there are safe ways to strengthen your core, spine, and hips. Low-impact, weight-bearing exercises are particularly important for bone and muscle health.
A Word From Verywell
If you’ve been diagnosed with osteoporosis, staying physically active is essential. Talk to your healthcare provider before beginning an exercise program. Extra caution must be taken to reduce the risk of bone fractures, which can lead to permanent disability. Consult a physical therapist for an individualized program that you can safely perform.
Frequently Asked QuestionsExercise helps to increase bone strength, but it won’t reverse osteoporosis on its own. Treatment also includes taking dietary supplements, such as calcium and vitamin D, and sometimes hormone replacement therapy.If you’ve been diagnosed with osteoporosis, you should reduce your intake of added sugars, saturated fats, and processed meat. Make sure you are eating enough protein, and add fruits, whole grains, and nuts to your diet.It takes months for bone density to increase. However, practicing weight-bearing exercises, avoiding smoking, and getting adequate calcium and vitamin D can help support the process.
Exercise helps to increase bone strength, but it won’t reverse osteoporosis on its own. Treatment also includes taking dietary supplements, such as calcium and vitamin D, and sometimes hormone replacement therapy.
If you’ve been diagnosed with osteoporosis, you should reduce your intake of added sugars, saturated fats, and processed meat. Make sure you are eating enough protein, and add fruits, whole grains, and nuts to your diet.
It takes months for bone density to increase. However, practicing weight-bearing exercises, avoiding smoking, and getting adequate calcium and vitamin D can help support the process.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoporosis: diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.Hartley GW, Roach KE, Nithman RW, et al.Physical therapist management of patients with suspected or confirmed osteoporosis: a clinical practice guideline from the academy of geriatric physical therapy.J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2022;44(2):E106-E119. doi:10.1519/JPT.0000000000000346Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation.Weight bearing.Yoon JO, Kang MH, Kim JS, et al.Effect of modified bridge exercise on trunk muscle activity in healthy adults: a cross sectional study.Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy. 2018;22(2):161-167. doi:10.1016/j.bjpt.2017.09.005Harvard Health Publishing.Effective exercises for ostoeporosis.Bhatnagar A, Kekatpure AL.Postmenopausal osteoporosis: a literature review.Cureus. 14(9):e29367. doi:10.7759/cureus.29367
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoporosis: diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.Hartley GW, Roach KE, Nithman RW, et al.Physical therapist management of patients with suspected or confirmed osteoporosis: a clinical practice guideline from the academy of geriatric physical therapy.J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2022;44(2):E106-E119. doi:10.1519/JPT.0000000000000346Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation.Weight bearing.Yoon JO, Kang MH, Kim JS, et al.Effect of modified bridge exercise on trunk muscle activity in healthy adults: a cross sectional study.Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy. 2018;22(2):161-167. doi:10.1016/j.bjpt.2017.09.005Harvard Health Publishing.Effective exercises for ostoeporosis.Bhatnagar A, Kekatpure AL.Postmenopausal osteoporosis: a literature review.Cureus. 14(9):e29367. doi:10.7759/cureus.29367
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoporosis: diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.Hartley GW, Roach KE, Nithman RW, et al.Physical therapist management of patients with suspected or confirmed osteoporosis: a clinical practice guideline from the academy of geriatric physical therapy.J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2022;44(2):E106-E119. doi:10.1519/JPT.0000000000000346Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation.Weight bearing.Yoon JO, Kang MH, Kim JS, et al.Effect of modified bridge exercise on trunk muscle activity in healthy adults: a cross sectional study.Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy. 2018;22(2):161-167. doi:10.1016/j.bjpt.2017.09.005Harvard Health Publishing.Effective exercises for ostoeporosis.Bhatnagar A, Kekatpure AL.Postmenopausal osteoporosis: a literature review.Cureus. 14(9):e29367. doi:10.7759/cureus.29367
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoporosis: diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.
Hartley GW, Roach KE, Nithman RW, et al.Physical therapist management of patients with suspected or confirmed osteoporosis: a clinical practice guideline from the academy of geriatric physical therapy.J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2022;44(2):E106-E119. doi:10.1519/JPT.0000000000000346
Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation.Weight bearing.
Yoon JO, Kang MH, Kim JS, et al.Effect of modified bridge exercise on trunk muscle activity in healthy adults: a cross sectional study.Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy. 2018;22(2):161-167. doi:10.1016/j.bjpt.2017.09.005
Harvard Health Publishing.Effective exercises for ostoeporosis.
Bhatnagar A, Kekatpure AL.Postmenopausal osteoporosis: a literature review.Cureus. 14(9):e29367. doi:10.7759/cureus.29367
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