{"id":1068874,"date":"2026-07-04T23:16:39","date_gmt":"2026-07-04T23:16:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1068874\/"},"modified":"2026-07-04T23:16:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T23:16:39","slug":"our-bones-have-never-been-weaker-but-heres-what-you-can-do-about-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1068874\/","title":{"rendered":"Our bones have never been weaker \u2013 but here\u2019s what you can do about it"},"content":{"rendered":"

Strength training protects you from all manner of maladies as you age. But it\u2019s not just your muscles that need maintaining<\/a> \u2013 it\u2019s your bones too. <\/p>\n

The way to do this is simple in theory: regularly load your bones by lifting weights<\/a>, sprinting and jumping. But in application, there is a bit more nuance to it. And, ironically, the idea of sprinting and jumping explosively is enough to make many people run a mile. <\/p>\n

Yet healthy bones are an integral part of a healthy body. They give us our shape, protect our vital organs and prevent us from suffering debilitating injuries. Bone is also an endocrine organ, secreting hormones that benefit<\/a> myriad essential bodily systems, from brain health to metabolism. <\/p>\n

For these reasons and more, everyone should know how to strengthen their bones. Here\u2019s the expert\u2019s advice about where to start. <\/p>\n

Why our bones are weaker than ever before<\/p>\n

Our bones are, on average, getting weaker, OsteoStrong<\/a> founder and Unbreakable<\/a> co-author Kyle Zagrodzky tells me. <\/p>\n

\u201cPeople born in 1900 would have been much stronger than people today,\u201d he says. \u201cResearch<\/a> found that teenagers in the 1970s and 1980s had about 10 per cent higher bone density than teenagers today.\u201d<\/p>\n

This, researchers hypothesised, could leave modern teens at greater risk of osteoporosis and fragility fractures as they grow older.<\/p>\n

But why are our bones getting weaker? Because we lead increasingly sedentary lifestyles, Zagrodzky says. We are not moving as much, nor are we loading our bones as much, and we are missing out on the benefits of doing so. <\/p>\n

\u201cHuman beings are, at our core, pleasure seekers and pain avoiders; calorie consumers and calorie conservers,\u201d Zagrodzky explains. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen there\u2019s an abundance of food around and it\u2019s convenient, people eat more and don\u2019t move as much. On top of that, we\u2019re editing activity out of society \u2013 I can get everything I need from my cell phone without leaving the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more: <\/strong>The easiest way to strengthen your entire body, according to this expert coach<\/a><\/p>\n

\"SedentarySedentary lifestyles have contributed to decreasing bone strength over the last few centuries (Alamy\/PA)<\/p>\n

Why do bones become weaker with age?<\/p>\n

\u201cBone is a living tissue, and our bodies are continuously getting rid of old bone cells and growing new bone in their place,\u201d explains Professor Lucy Donaldson, director of research at Arthritis UK<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cOur bones are at their strongest in our teens and early 20s, when we\u2019re getting the right nutrients. But from our mid-30s, the process of forming new bone tissue starts to slow down.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we get older our bones can get weaker, but when they become fragile this can lead to a condition called osteoporosis. People living with osteoporosis can break a bone from a relatively minor fall or accident.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more: <\/strong>There\u2019s a new golden rule for strength training \u2013 expert coaches reveal everything you need to know<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\u2018As\u2018As we get older our bones can get weaker, but when they become fragile this can lead to a condition called osteoporosis. People living with osteoporosis can break a bone from a relatively minor fall or accident.\u2019 (Alamy\/PA)<\/p>\n

Why strong bones matter<\/p>\n

Recently, Professor Donaldson tells me, there has been a rise in bone problems in both adults and children due to three deficiencies: vitamin D, calcium and weight-bearing exercise. This can have several knock-on effects.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeeping your muscles and bones strong can mean you\u2019re less likely to fall, and you\u2019re less likely to break bones if you do have a fall,\u201d she explains. Muscles pull on bones to spark movement. Without strong bones, freedom of movement falls away. <\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, some bone conditions such as osteoporosis often develop without symptoms, so many people don’t realise they’re at risk until they break a bone after a minor fall or injury,\u201d Professor Donaldson adds. <\/p>\n

Zagrodzky also stresses the importance of bone\u2019s role as an endocrine organ. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt is an organ that, if it starts to fail and underperform, has a cascading effect of health issues that affect your brain, your metabolism, your pancreas, your testosterone levels and even your immunity,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n

This is largely down to a protein hormone called osteocalcin, which is \u201conly generated when your bones receive enough force to trigger osteogenesis [the biological process of forming new bone]\u201d.<\/p>\n

Read more: <\/strong>New study suggests 10 hours of exercise per week \u2013 here\u2019s how to improve your health in less than two<\/a><\/p>\n

\"MilkMilk and cheese can be good sources of calcium, which is important for supporting bone health (Getty)<\/p>\n

How to increase bone strength \u2013 according to science<\/p>\n

Diet is the first factor to consider when building stronger bones. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou need calcium to keep your bones strong, and you need vitamin D to allow the body to absorb calcium properly,\u201d says Professor Donaldson. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou can reach your daily calcium intake by drinking 200ml of milk or eating 40g of cheddar cheese \u2013 otherwise, a doctor may recommend taking calcium supplements. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe get vitamin D from sunlight, but many people in the UK don\u2019t get enough sun. Taking a vitamin D supplement in darker months, or all year round, can help build healthier bones.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eating an adequate amount of protein<\/a> is also important for repairing bodily tissues and building new ones, Zagrodzky adds. <\/p>\n

But the best diet in the world cannot trigger osteogenesis in isolation. It needs the right stimulus: weight-bearing exercise. Think of it like a letter \u2013 if your diet is the contents, exercise is the address scribbled on the front, telling you where the letter needs to go. <\/p>\n

Zagrodzky points to a couple of studies to demonstrate this.<\/p>\n

Research from 1985<\/a> found that, while disuse could lead bones to lose mass, sufficient mechanical strain (or loading and use) could trigger the opposite. <\/p>\n

A 2012 study from the University of Bristol<\/a> added to this. It studied bone mineral density (BMD) in the hips of adolescents and concluded: \u201cWe found that >4.2g impacts [forces greater than 4.2 times your body weight] were positively related to hip BMD, suggesting that high-impact activities like running produce BMD gains of the lower limb. <\/p>\n

\u201cIn contrast, impacts below this threshold may have little benefit, suggesting that strains associated with moderately high-impact activities such as jogging have relatively little effect on BMD.\u201d<\/p>\n

In short: if you want to improve bone strength, you have to load your bones sufficiently. <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to trigger osteogenesis, your bones are not listening out for repetition or a certain type of exercise, they\u2019re listening out for force,\u201d Zagrodzky summarises. \u201cUnless you trigger a certain amount of force, nothing happens. A threshold has to be met.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more: <\/strong>Do these three things each week to be fitter than most Brits<\/a><\/p>\n

\"High-impactHigh-impact activities like jumping can stimulate osteogenesis \u2013 the process of forming new bone (Getty)<\/p>\n

The best exercise for increasing bone strength<\/p>\n

If bones weaken as we age, it can be tempting to protect them by avoiding physical activity altogether. But Professor Donaldson suggests the opposite approach. <\/p>\n

\u201cOur research shows that keeping active as we get older helps maintain bone health,\u201d she says. \u201cWeight-bearing or high-impact exercise such as hopping will put pressure through your bones and will improve bone strength and mineral density.\u201d <\/p>\n

However, she adds, \u201cwhile exercise is very helpful to prevent osteoporosis, it is important to consult a healthcare professional if you already live with the condition\u201d. Arthritis UK\u2019s exercising with arthritis<\/a> tips can be helpful for approaching this. <\/p>\n

Similar is true with osteoarthritis \u2013 a condition many put down to excessive exercise. <\/p>\n

\u201cOne study found that a previous knee injury could increase the risk of osteoarthritis threefold,\u201d Professor Donaldson continues. \u201cAs reported in Arthritis UK\u2019s State of MSK 2025<\/a>, regular physical activity can reduce falls by 77 per cent and hip fractures by 24 per cent. <\/p>\n

\u201cResearch also found that long periods of bed rest, or not moving at all, can quickly have major negative effects on health, but these effects can be restored through movement.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Zagrodzky puts it: \u201cAnything that can be deconditioned can be reconditioned.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt gets harder as you get older because your cells don\u2019t function as well and your telomeres are getting shorter,\u201d he continues. \u201cBut generally speaking, you can recondition your body.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like to think of myself as a butler for my future self. Everything I do for my body today will pay dividends later.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, due to the threshold for building bone \u2013 outlined in the section above \u2013 it can be difficult to do so through lower-impact exercises such as walking, jogging, Pilates, yoga and many more. That\u2019s not to say these activities don\u2019t offer plenty of other health benefits, but they aren\u2019t an effective route to more robust bones. <\/p>\n

Two possible options are jumping or sprinting. Doing this once per week can deliver meaningful benefits to your bones. But this does not mean light hops on the spot<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re jumping, you probably need to jump and land hard [to trigger adaptations],\u201d Zagrodzky says. \u201cThe challenge for people over 40 or 50 is they may have joint or back pain that makes this difficult. Impact is hard on your joints but great for the bones.\u201d<\/p>\n

Strength training is another option which can be easier on the body \u2013 again, provided you are lifting sufficiently heavy weights. More on this below.<\/p>\n

Read more: <\/strong>Walking experts reveal the number of daily steps you need to boost health \u2013 and it\u2019s not 10,000<\/a><\/p>\n

\"StrengthStrength training is one of the best ways to improve bones (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n

A top trainer\u2019s five exercises for building bone strength<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are my five favourite exercises for building stronger bones, with progressions for all abilities,\u201d says Ed Haynes, an experienced strength coach and founder of Coastal Fitness<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe principle underpinning all of these exercises is simple: bone is living tissue, and it adapts to the demands you place on it. To tell your body to lay down new bone, you need to load it with a stimulus greater than what it’s used to. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe magic ingredient with all of them is progressive overload<\/a> \u2013 gradually nudging the weight up over weeks and months. One or two strength training sessions per week is plenty if you\u2019re starting out, and you should always prioritise learning good technique \u2013 ideally with a coach \u2013 before lifting heavier loads.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deadlift<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my top exercise for stronger bones because it loads the spine and hips under a heavy external weight, and those are two of the most important sites for fracture prevention as we age,\u201d Haynes explains. \u201cThe movement is essentially picking something heavy up off the floor with a flat back and a braced core \u2013 everyone should be doing some form of deadlifting. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou don’t need to lift enormous amounts on day one. And if you struggle with the mobility to lift from the floor without rounding your back, Romanian deadlifts or deadlifting the barbell from an elevated surface are great alternatives that can allow you to load the movement safely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Progression: <\/strong>Start by deadlifting a kettlebell or dumbbell from a raised surface, then lower the surface over time, then progress to a barbell and add weight.<\/p>\n

Barbell squat or goblet squat<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cSquats load the spine, hips and thigh bones through a large range of motion,\u201d says Haynes. \u201cThe goblet variation (above) is accessible and teaches good positioning.I love the target of completing at least 40 per cent of your bodyweight for 20 reps before moving to a barbell. If you don’t feel comfortable squatting, a machine leg press performed through a full range of motion is a great alternative that offers more stability.<\/p>\n

Progression: <\/strong>Start with a bodyweight sit-to-stand from a chair, then move on to a goblet squat, and finally a barbell squat, lifting progressively heavier loads.<\/p>\n

Dumbbell bench press<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cPressing a weight loads the wrists, forearms and upper body, and builds the pushing strength that helps people brace or catch themselves if they fall,\u201d says Haynes. <\/p>\n

\u201cI prefer the dumbbell bench press over an overhead press as it removes the mobility limitations many people have while pressing overhead. I also favour dumbbells over a barbell here as they demand more stability and allow for a greater range of motion, even if you can’t load the movement quite as heavily.\u201d<\/p>\n

Progression: <\/strong>Start with lighter dumbbells and lift them with a controlled tempo, then gradually progress to heavier dumbbells over time.<\/p>\n

Loaded carries (such as the farmer’s walk)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cSimply picking up a heavy weight in each hand and walking offers plenty of benefits,\u201d Haynes says. \u201cIt loads the entire skeleton (the spine, hips and grip) under real, meaningful weight, and it’s about as safe and intuitive as strength training gets. It\u2019s also a brilliant introduction for anyone who feels intimidated by barbell work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Progression: <\/strong>Carry a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand over a manageable distance to begin with. Then, you can increase the load you are carrying and the distance you are walking over time. You can later load the spine even more by carrying a sandbag in a bear hug position, in front of the stomach. <\/p>\n

Pull-up<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pull-up demands so much stability from the entire body while loading the arms, shoulders and upper back,\u201d says Haynes. \u201cIf you’re starting out, a cable pull-down<\/a> is a great place to build the initial strength.\u201d<\/p>\n

Progression:<\/strong> Start with a light cable pull-down, then progress the weight you are moving before graduating to assisted or eccentric (slow lowering) pull-ups, full pull-ups, then weighted pull-ups.<\/p>\n

Read more: <\/strong>I\u2019m a 77-year-old champion athlete \u2013 over-fifties like me are getting completely ignored by fitness brands<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Strength training protects you from all manner of maladies as you age. But it\u2019s not just your muscles…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1068875,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[11],"tags":[3971,166350,2311,47671,1700,261972,728,17565,352,83293,293095,166351,33656,105,44888,609,1477,2249,285,20885,78810,20854,293094,16,15],"class_list":["post-1068874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-agriculture","tag-business-finance-and-industry","tag-climate-change","tag-color-image","tag-economy","tag-employment-and-labor","tag-environment","tag-environmental-damage","tag-farm","tag-farmer","tag-farmers-protest","tag-finance-and-economy","tag-freshness","tag-health","tag-horizontal","tag-human-interest","tag-netherlands","tag-photography","tag-politics","tag-politics-and-government","tag-raw-milk","tag-social-issues","tag-social-justice-concept","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116864261287082319","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1068874","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1068874"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1068874\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1068875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1068874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1068874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1068874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}