🦴 The Power of Strength Training: How Weight-Bearing Exercise Builds Stronger Bones

Why Strong Bones Matter

Bone isn’t a static structure — it’s living tissue that constantly remodels itself. After about the age of 30, we naturally begin to lose more bone than we build. For many people, especially women post-menopause, this can lead to osteopenia or osteoporosis — conditions that make bones weaker and more prone to fracture.

But the good news is that bones respond to stress — in the best possible way. Just like muscles, bones become stronger when we load them.

How Strength Training Builds Bone Density

When we talk about “weight-bearing exercise,” most people think of walking or running. But the real benefit comes from the muscle pulling on its tendon, which in turn pulls on the bone. This mechanical stress triggers your bones to lay down new mineral deposits and strengthen their internal structure.

This process, known as mechanotransduction, is how your body adapts to load. Over time, consistent resistance and impact training lead to measurable increases in bone mineral density (BMD).

At Up N Adam, we integrate this principle into every program — using targeted strength work, progressive overload, and full-body functional movements that stimulate bone growth and coordination together.

Real-World Results: A 61-Year-Old Client’s Success Story

One of our long-term clients, a 61-year-old woman, began regular strength sessions at Up N Adam in 2023. Under the guidance of our physiotherapist and performance trainer, she performed a structured gym program focusing on:

• Weight-bearing lower limb exercises (squats, step-ups, lunges)

• Upper body strength and pulling movements

• Core stability and balance training

Recently, she underwent a repeat Bone Mineral Densitometry (BMD) scan, and the results were remarkable:

• Spine: ↑ 6.7% increase in bone density

• Right femur: ↑ 5% increase

• Upward trend in all other measured sites

The radiology report concluded that she now has normal bone density and, importantly, is not in a bone-losing state. Her doctor advised she doesn’t need another bone density scan for five years — a huge testament to the positive effect of strength training.

The Take-Home Message

The body adapts to what we do regularly. In this case, the only major change between bone scans was the introduction of consistent, guided strength training.

This outcome reinforces what decades of research and clinical experience show:

• Weight-bearing and resistance exercise are the most effective tools for maintaining and improving bone health.

• These exercises also improve balance, coordination, and muscle mass — further reducing the risk of falls and fractures.

• Supervised, progressive programs led by qualified professionals like those at Up N Adam are safe and adaptable to all fitness levels.

Ready to Strengthen Your Bones?

Whether you’re rebuilding after injury, managing osteoporosis risk, or simply want to stay strong and active for decades to come, it’s never too late to start.

Our physiotherapists and performance trainers at Up N Adam Performance Training & Physiotherapy, Newcastle, create individualised programs that combine strength, balance, and movement quality — all backed by data and guided by expertise.

This is APA Sports Physiotherapist, Darren Glendenning, signing off for now!

You can book an appointment with Darren or Newcastle Knights Physiotherapists Katie or Hayd'n at www.upnadamptphysio.com .

Bookings also available on our website for the following services at Up N Adam Performance Training & Physiotherapy:

• Dietitian - Sweat testing, weight-loss or to optimise your training nutrition / fuelling www.nutrientnation.com.au

• VO2 Max testing with Lucas McBeath - to discover more effective ways to train efficiently www.flowitri.com.au

• Strength & Conditioning Programs with Adam Clarke - contact us or book via the website or email us at upnadamptphysio@gmail.com

• Remedial Massage with Katheryn Rodgers - to relieve accumulative muscle tension & keep you training well.

• CycleFit by Physiotherapist Dean Waterman - At Up N Adam, for all your bike fitting solutions www.cyclefitphysio.com