Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month 2022: Exercise to Maximize Bone Health

This May, the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF) will commemorate Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month  with bone healthy exercises and information – for all ages – to help achieve better bone health. An empowering aspect of the month is a weekly series of webinars with something for everyone – from younger kids to teens to adults and the elderly. Learn more about these energizing, online events here. Another useful resource is BHOF’s Digital Calendar which features 31 days of exercise tips, videos and educational materials.

“Exercising to help achieve good bone health can and should be a family priority and continue throughout one’s lifetime,” said Claire Gill, BHOF’s CEO. “There are so many things that people can do each day to strengthen our bones. It is our hope that Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month helps to inspire people to make exercise an important part of their daily routine. We want everyone to work toward the realistic goal of living active, vigorous and rewarding lives.”

Parents need to start thinking about ensuring that their kids get enough bone-building activities early in their lives. According to the National Institutes of Health, when parents think about their kids’ health overall, bones do not rank high on the list. But building strong bones in childhood and young adulthood is critical to help prevent osteoporosis and fractures later in life. In fact, peak bone mass — the strongest and densest bone an individual can achieve – is reached in our early to mid-20s. Regular exercise and a good diet with appropriate amounts of calcium and vitamin D are key.. It is important for all Americans to know that exercise, which can include everything from jumping jacks to running/jogging to dancing to lifting weights to playing tennis – with lots of other options on BHOF’s list  – can make a major impact in achieving strong, healthy bones.

Approximately 10 million Americans, age 50 and above, have osteoporosis, and another 44 million have low bone density, placing them at an increased risk for bone fractures. Most people are not aware that bone fractures related to osteoporosis are responsible for more hospitalizations than heart attacks, strokes, and breast cancer combined. But, regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises have been proven to build and maintain bone density for women and men.

About the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (formerly the National Osteoporosis Foundation) 
Established in 1984, the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation is the nation’s leading health organization dedicated to promoting strong bones for life, preventing osteoporosis and broken bones, and reducing human suffering through programs of awareness, education, advocacy, and research. For more information on the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation, visit www.bonehealthandosteoporosis.org.