Osteogenic Exercises

Original Editor - Ravi Kumar

Top Contributors - Angeliki Chorti, Kim Jackson, Ravi Kumar and Sivapriya Ramakrishnan  

Definition[edit | edit source]

Osteogenic exercises (Osteo=bone & Genic=stimulates growth) are the type of exercises that stimulate the growth of the bone and increase bone density by applying load to the bones. This load can be:

  • High-impact, such as jumping or running,
  • Low-impact, such as walking, or resistance training.

Osteogenic exercises are thought to work by increasing the number of bone-forming cells and by stimulating the production of new bone tissue. [1]

Osteogenic exercises are often recommended for people with osteoporosis because this can help increase the bone mineral density and reduce the risk of fractures. [2] Bone mineral density increases through exercise are important when attempting to prevent and treat osteoporosis. [3]

Benefits[edit | edit source]

3d-spine.jpg

Osteogenic exercises include various physical activities that stimulate bone growth and help prevent bone loss. Here are some potential benefits of osteogenic exercises:

  • Reduction of bone loss: A sedentary lifestyle, poor posture, poor balance, and weak muscles increase the risk of fractures. Osteogenic exercises can help reduce bone loss and conserve remaining bone tissue.
  • Improved bone density: Numerous studies have shown that weight-bearing exercise can help to slow bone loss, and several show it can even build bone. Activities that put stress on bones stimulate extra deposits of calcium and nudge bone-forming cells into action.[4]
  • Improved physical fitness: Osteogenic exercises can improve physical fitness, muscle strength, reaction time, mobility, balance, and coordination.
  • Reduced risk of fractures: Certain types of exercise strengthen muscles and bones, while other types are designed to improve balance, which can help prevent falls. A regular, properly designed exercise program may actually help prevent falls and fractures.

Types of Osteogenic Exercises[edit | edit source]

Osteogenic exercises may be of low, moderate or high impact: [2]

Low impact Moderate impact High impact
Walking Dancing (highland) Volleyball
Marching Jogging / Running Basketball
Stair climbing Low level jumping Track events
Stamping Tennis / Racquet sports Star jumps
Muscle strengthening Skipping and Hopping Tuck jumps
Low-impact aerobics Vigorous heel drops High level jumps

Evidence on osteogenic exercises[edit | edit source]

Several studies have been conducted on the benefits of osteogenic exercises for improving bone strength and density. Here are some key findings from these studies:

  1. Exercise during skeletal growth is more osteogenic than exercise during adulthood. [5]
  2. Bone changes rely on the dose and intensity of impact and are threshold dependent. [6] Osteogenic exercises stimulate the growth of bones through optimal loading of the bones, in order to help improve bone density.[1] A 4+ times body weigth is required to stimulate this process in adolescents. [7]
  3. The frequency and pattern of intermittence between periods of physical activity and sedentary behavior, rather than the volume, is critical for bone mineral content in younger age. Short bouts of activity in between long sedentary periods may be more beneficial than activities more evenly spread in time.[8]
  4. Despite controversy on some forms, [9] physical exercise is generally considered an effective means to stimulate bone osteogenesis in osteoporotic patients. [10]
  5. Mind-body exercise, followed by resistance exercise are considered the most effective types for improving bone mineral density in the lumbar spine and femoral neck of patients with osteopenia and osteoporosis. [11]
  6. Weight-bearing activities, such as brisk walking (5-6km/h) and running have been found to safely preserve or increase the osteogenic potential of physical exercise in postmenopausal women.[12]
  7. Progressive resistance training, is suggested to be the best type of muscle strengthening for helping build bone density and improve muscle strength. [2][13]Lower training frequencies (<2/week) [14] and high intensity exercise regimes [15] are the suggested parameters for optimal results.
  8. Combining aerobic and anaerobic exercises and using variety in osteogenic protocols are also important for optimal results.[2]
  9. Finally, exercise with >70% adherence (in this case, to ACSM recommendations) tend to have higher positive outcomes regarding bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and femoral neck. [16]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 American Bone Health. Osteogenic loading. Available from: https://americanbonehealth.org/exercise/bonesense-on-osteogenic-loading/ [accessed 30/6/2023]
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Royal Osteoporosis Society. Exercise for bones. Available from: https://theros.org.uk/information-and-support/bone-health/exercise-for-bones/ [accessed 2/7/2023]
  3. ↑ Gregson CL, Armstrong DJ, Bowden J, Cooper C, Edwards J, Gittoes NJL, Harvey N, Kanis J, Leyland S, Low R, McCloskey E, Moss K, Parker J, Paskins Z, Poole K, Reid DM, Stone M, Thomson J, Vine N, Compston J. UK clinical guideline for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Arch Osteoporos. 2022 Apr 5;17(1):58.
  4. ↑ Russo CR. The effects of exercise on bone. Basic concepts and implications for the prevention of fractures. Clin Cases in Miner Bone Metab. 2009 Sep;6(3):223-28.
  5. ↑ Turner CH, Robling AG. Exercises for improving bone strength. Br J Sports Med. 2005 Apr 1;39(4):188-9.
  6. ↑ Jamsa T, Ahola R, Korpelainen R. Measurement of Osteogenic Exercise – How to Interpret Accelerometric Data? Front Physiol 2011; 2: 73.
  7. ↑ Deere K, Sayers A, Rittweger J, Tobias JH. Habitual levels of high, but not moderate or low, impact activity are positively related to hip BMD and geometry: results from a population-based study of adolescents. J Bone Miner Res. 2012 Sep;27(9):1887-95.
  8. ↑ Chastin SF, Mandrichenko O, Skelton DA. The frequency of osteogenic activities and the pattern of intermittence between periods of physical activity and sedentary behaviour affects bone mineral content: the cross-sectional NHANES study. BMC Public Health. 2014 Dec;14(1):1-2.
  9. ↑ Wei X, Xu A, Yin Y, Zhang R. The potential effect of Wuqinxi exercise for primary osteoporosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Maturitas. 2015 Dec;82(4):346-54.
  10. ↑ Benedetti MG, Furlini G, Zati A, Letizia Mauro G. The effectiveness of physical exercise on bone density in osteoporotic patients. BioMed Res Int. 2018 Oct;2018:4840531.
  11. ↑ Zhang S, Huang X, Zhao X, Li B, Cai Y, Liang X, Wan Q. Effect of exercise on bone mineral density among patients with osteoporosis and osteopenia: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Clin Nurs. 2022 Aug;31(15-16):2100-2111.
  12. ↑ Pellikaan P, Giarmatzis G, Vander Sloten J, Verschueren S, Jonkers I. Ranking of osteogenic potential of physical exercises in postmenopausal women based on femoral neck strains. PloS One. 2018 Apr 4;13(4):e0195463.
  13. ↑ Brown SE. Osteogenic loading—A key to reversing osteoporosis. Available from: https://www.betterbones.com/exercise/osteogenic-loading/ [accessed 30/6/2023]
  14. ↑ Shojaa M, von Stengel S, Kohl M, Schoene D, Kemmler W. Effects of dynamic resistance exercise on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis with special emphasis on exercise parameters. Osteoporos Int. 2020 Aug;31(8):1427-1444.
  15. ↑ Kitagawa T, Hiraya K, Denda T, Yamamoto S. A comparison of different exercise intensities for improving bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Bone Rep. 2022 Oct 21;17:101631.
  16. ↑ Cui W, Li D, Jiang Y, Gao Y. Effects of exercise based on ACSM recommendations on bone mineral density in individuals with osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. Front Physiol. 2023 Jul 17;14:1181327.
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