by Luminis Health
People of different age groups can protect their bones and joints in a variety of ways:
Kids and teens
Don’t go straight from zero to 100. Avoid fractures by stretching and strengthening well before returning to seasonal sports.
Teens
Strengthen muscles and increase muscle mass with weight training to protect bones and joints in contact and high-impact sports.
Teen girls
Replace the calories burned during high-intensity cardiovascular sports to avoid excessive fat loss that can lead to reduced bone density.
Adults
Use stretching and light resistance strength training to keep stiff joints limber and reduce arthritis symptoms. Maintain a healthy weight to take pressure off the joints.
Women
Get enough vitamin D and calcium, and participate in load-bearing activities such as walking, running, dancing or resistance training to keep bones strong. Ask your doctor about a bone density scan after menopause.
Read about one athlete who swapped running for biking to save his knees.