With the onset of a sedentary lifestyle, bone density tends to weaken. Even as one gets older, “the body” according to senior physiotherapist Dr. Amitinder Singh Dhaliwal, “reabsorbs calcium as well as phosphate from the bones instead of letting the minerals stay there.”
Here are 4 techniques to maintain strong, healthy bones so they don’t become brittle:
Regular exercise
For Dr. Dhaliwal, exercising is a must to maintain the health of your bones. Therefore, “aerobic exercises like walking, jogging, swimming, hiking, cycling, and other such low-impact exercises are extremely beneficial for the lower spine, hip as well as legs.”
Lift weights under professional supervision
For people who want to retain their muscle mass, strength exercise is essential. “Activities like squatting, which involves using many muscular groups, aid to increase muscle endurance.” Dr. Dhaliwal continued by saying that “tensioning muscles allows neuromuscular adaptations that increase muscle growth, hence making the muscles stronger.” Weight training can be either by lifting weights or even by using one’s own body weight.
Avoid sitting for long
When asked about the side effects on muscles from sitting for too long, it was stated by Dr. Dhaliwal that “it causes weakening of gluteal as well as leg muscles. These muscles ensure a stable and a balanced walk, but due to sitting for long periods of time can cause wastage making a person susceptible to injuries caused by an unstable walk.”
Sitting for too long can increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. If the hip feels tight and your neck as well shoulders feel stiff, then maybe it is time for a person to increase physical activity.
Regular intake of supplements is a must: Most of the time, our eating habits are not correct and combinations of food consumed are also faulty. Therefore, there is no harm in having supplements that are good for the strength of bones and muscles.
Dr. Dhaliwal highly recommends that people “Include Vitamin D and calcium supplements in the diet regime. Standing in the sun for 20 minutes can easily allow the body to absorb the required amount of Vitamin D for the bones to function properly. In the same way, protein and calcium intake can be fulfilled by having lean meats like fish.”
Avoid smoking
According to many health experts, a smoker’s heart beats 30% faster than a normal person’s. It has been proven that smoking lowers testosterone causing muscle degradation, and also prevents working muscles from getting enough oxygen-rich blood. This greatly decreases muscle building and prevents a person from performing well during a workout session.
To have strong bones, it is a must to eat right, exercise properly under professional supervision, and also follow an active lifestyle as opposed to a sedentary one.
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