Muscle Strength and Bone Density

I was recently asked about the relationship between muscle strength and bone density. I confessed that I knew there was a direct correlation, but that I wasn’t sure of the intricacies of such a relationship. And I will admit to you that I was irritated with myself at not knowing the answer. So, true to my nerdy nature, I did a little research . . .

Turns out, there IS something to this little relationship between the two. I poked around some websites and looked at a few rather involved case study reports, and came up with a simpler explanation that I hope will make sense – and possibly inspire you to think about how this may affect your own health.

First, a couple of definitions. Osteoporosis is something we hear about frequently. Simply put, it’s the weakening of our bones. It can cause us to have trouble walking, contribute to skeletal imbalance, and make our bones so brittle that fractures are common, especially in our hips, backs, and wrists. Sarcopenia isn’t quite so well known. It’s the weakening of our muscles. As we age, we lose muscle mass and strength, especially once we reach our 40s and beyond, but may start as early as 30 if we’re not active or don’t eat well. (Eek!) This also contributes to issues with balance and performing everyday activities such as walking, bending, lifting, etc. When we lose muscle, we get weaker, which means our muscles have trouble helping our bones keep us upright, which eventually leads to our bones getting weaker, too. Do you see where I’m going with this?

The solution? Healthy eating habits and regular exercise, specifically strength training. Here’s why. H.M. Frost came up with the Mechanostat Theory, which basically states that our bones seem to have an ability to recognize increased demand, or stress, put on our muscles and bones and responds by making more bone tissue. It’s like a biological mechanism that’s triggered when the bone is under repeated stress, i.e. strength training. Plus, and this is pretty cool, bone growth appears to happen most where the stress, or loading, is greatest – mainly, our legs, hips, wrists, and spines. So putting our bones under stress can actually call bone-building cells into action, even as we age. That means that we can slow, and possibly reverse, the weakening of our muscles and bones!

The long and short of it is this: when we build our muscles through exercise, we can also build our bones in the process. And when we do this, there’s a host of benefits. Stronger muscles lead to an increase in balance and stability, which lead to fewer falls and fractures. And by building muscle, we increase bone density which means a decrease in the risk of osteoporosis. And just by being stronger, we’re able to grow old and enjoy all kinds of our favorite activities without too many issues. Wow! And that’s just the start! There’s a lot more that I can get into, but for now I hope that you have an idea of how muscle and bone affect each other and that learning about it causes you to think about ways you can incorporate exercise into your routine so that you can enjoy what you love to do for as long as you can.

Stay strong!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/strength-training-builds-more-than-muscles

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6279907/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/strength-training/art-20046670

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoporosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351968

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23167-sarcopenia

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.