Physical Activity and Exercise in the Maintenance of the Adult Skeleton and the Prevention of Osteoporotic Fractures

Abstract Physical activity and exercise are promoted as a nonpharmacological strategy to maintain or enhance musculoskeletal health in adults and prevent osteoporotic fracture. Less clear is the optimal mode, intensity, duration, and frequency of activity to achieve this objective. Although a substantial osteogenic response to appropriate mechanical loading is clearly evident in animal models and strongly supported from athlete cross-sectional and prospective studies, the results from exercise interventions in adults are less impressive with modest net benefits generally of 1% to 3% in bone mineral density (BMD) (g/cm2) at the clinically relevant hip and spine following prolonged weight-bea…