Strengthening Bones When Joints Ache

It's a vicious circle: you need to exercise to strengthen bones, but achy joints prevent you from exercising. Here's how to do it.

Gain exercise’s bone benefits with a joint-friendly program.

Healthy bones require weight-bearing exercise such as walking, but achy joints can’t take the load. Tedd Mitchell, M.D., president and medical director of the Cooper Clinic, a cutting-edge preventive-medicine center in Dallas, Texas, has a solution.

“We are creatures of habit,” he says. “So start gently, and precondition the muscles and tendons that support the joints.” Here is his suggested program. ››

Start-Up Program
(Daily, Monday through Friday)
Week 1: Perform five minutes of joint-friendly exercise daily, such as walking in a pool or riding a stationary bike.
Weeks 2–5: Increase daily time by two minutes per week, reaching 15 minutes daily by Week 5.
Weeks 6–8: Walk at a comfortable pace for 15 minutes daily on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Continue joint-friendly exercise on other days.
Week 9: Increase walking days to three.
Week 10: Increase walking days to four.
Week 11: Walk five days.
Weeks 12–15: Increase daily walking time by five minutes each week, reaching 30 minutes daily by Week 15.
Week 16: Start increasing your pace until you can walk two miles in 30 minutes, and keep up your new habit.

Mitchell offers a more detailed program in his new book, Move Yourself (Wiley, 2008).

Vital Statistic
Among women over 50, osteoporosis strikes 20% of Caucasians and Asians, 10% of Hispanics and 5% of African-Americans.
Source: National Osteoporosis Foundation