10 Sep 2015
Hopping could reduce fracture risk for older people
Just two minutes of hopping a day can strengthen hip bones in older men and reduce the risk of fracture after a fall, a Loughborough University-led study has found.
The Hip Hop study, which measured the effect of daily hopping exercises in 34 men over 65, has shown bone density in the hopping leg improved after just one year.
Increases of up to 7% were identified in the bone mass of some parts of the outer shell (cortex) and in the density of the layer of spongy bone underneath this. Importantly, there were improvements in the thinnest areas of the bone most at risk of fracture after a fall.
The results have major implications for the prevention and management of osteoporosis (also known as the fragile bone disease), which affects an estimated three million people in the UK.
Bones thin naturally with age, and localised thinning in the hip is associated with an increased risk of hip fracture. The Hip Hop study has shown regular exercise can help counteract the effects of ageing to the bone.
Read the full press release for more information.