Ask an Orthopedic Surgeon: What Can I Do to Keep My Bones Strong and Avoid Injury?

Our bones are amazing living tissues that go through a constant process of building, breaking down, and remodelling. They are tough and flexible, and yet, they can also break. Without our bones, we’d just be mere puddles of guts and skin. You can’t imagine living with broken bones either, as that would translate into limited mobility, reduced quality of life, and even depression.

How well you take care of your bones today can make a huge difference in how you feel, move, and live later in your life. That is to say, if you want to keep living life without physical limits, start with keeping your bones healthy and strong.

With that mind, we’ve come up with a few, tried-and-true strategies from our highly credentialed orthopaedic surgeons here at Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland for optimizing your bone health and minimizing your risk for injuries. Check these out.

Eating a Calcium-Rich Diet

Experts recommend that adults between the ages of 19 and 50 get 2,500 mg of calcium per day; while women over the age of 50 and men over the age of 70 have 1,200 mg of calcium a day.

The best sources of calcium are dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese. If you have lactose intolerance, which can make it difficult for you to get the recommended daily intake for calcium, you should ask your healthcare provider about taking supplements. Nonetheless, it’s worth mentioning that calcium can also be obtained from almonds, beans and lentils, and leafy greens.

Getting a Good Dose of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is an essential, fat-soluble vitamin that enables the body to absorb and retain phosphorus and calcium, both of which critical for building bone.

If you’re not getting the right amount of vitamin D from the foods you eat or from sunlight, supplementation can help you get the recommended daily intake. Adults younger than 70 need 600 international units (IUs) of vitamin D per day, while those over the age of 70 need 800 IUs.

Doing Weight-Bearing or Resistance-Training Exercises

Weight-bearing and resistance-training exercises are great ways to strengthen the bones. These exercises involve movements that go against gravity or force, thereby putting stress on muscle fibers and bones. Stress creates microtrauma, which stimulates the production of osteoblasts— the cells required in bone synthesis and mineralization.

Examples of weight-bearing exercises include walking, jogging, and stair climbing; while common examples of resistance-training exercises are lunges, squats, push-ups, and bench presses.

Bone Health Care in Central Maryland

At the Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland, we are proud to offer our Own the Bone Program, through which our orthopaedic surgeons and PTs to deliver the best approach for the identification, prevention, and management of osteoporosis and other bone health issues.

For any questions about our Own the Bone Program or to book an appointment with one of our orthopaedic surgeons, call our office today at (410) 644-1880. You may also use our convenient appointment request form.