Osteoporosis
Starting at age 30 and onwards, our bones become more porous and less dense, which makes them vulnerable to fracture, bad posture and even a shrinkage of our stature. That said, there are good ways of preventing loss of bone density through exercise. Below I will explain a bit about bone density, why we lose it with age and what exercises you can perform to maintain it.
Why does osteoporosis occur?
During our lifetime, the bones in our body are dismantled and rebuilt, but after age 30, the bone gets to a state where the deconstructed material is more prevalent than the built. This situation causes osteoporosis and damages the overall strength of our frame. The osteoporosis makes our bones vulnerable and causes possible fractures. The most common places for a fracture are in the wrist, the vertebra and the hips.
Because of the function estrogen plays in this process, women after menopause are the biggest sufferers of osteoporosis. That said, men also suffer from this problem. Bone density deteriorates faster in women around age 50, while with men it appears around age 70.
Exercises for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis
Retracting Arms
Works on: Posture, bone strength, back and shoulder muscles.
1. Sit with your back straight on a well-balanced, strong chair, with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Lift your arms to the sides of your shoulders and hold your forearms at a 90-degree angle.
3. Make sure your wrists are just above your elbows.
4. Squeeze the shoulder muscles one against the other by retracting your arms back and downwards.
5. Hold for 2 seconds, release and repeat.
6. Don't let your head pull you forward.
Bridge
Works on: Bone strength, buttocks, thigh muscles, quadriceps and hamstrings.
1. Lay on your back with your arms at your sides and lay your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent.
2. Exhale, clench your buttocks and your stomach muscles, and lift your hips as high as possible.
3. Remain in this form for 1 second, return to the lying down position and repeat the action.
4. Make sure that when you are raising your hips, your thighs and body form a straight line.

Make things harder on yourself by crossing one leg over the knee of the other. Complete the action and change legs.

Squat
Works on: Balance, strengthening your hips, quadriceps and buttocks.
1. Stand in front of a sturdy chair with your back to it.
2. Slowly distance your legs from one another until they are hip wide.
3. Slowly sit by bending your knees.
4. Keep your knees in line with your toes.
5. Stand up and repeat the movement.
6. If the movement is too hard for you, put down a pillow to make the seat taller.
7. Repeat 5-10 times (according to your ability) over 3 sets.

Stand to the side of the chair and hold it for support. Perform a sitting movement while one leg is on the floor and the other in the air for balance. Get down to the height of the chair and slowly rise. Then change legs and repeat.

Plank
Works on: Balance, strengthening the wrists, bone strength and shoulder muscles.
1. Stand about 30 inches (80 cm) away from the wall, facing it.
2. Put your hands on the wall at shoulder height and lean on the wall.
3. Transfer the weight of your body to your hands.
4. Keep your stomach muscles clenched and your neck aligned with your spine.
5. Hold this position for 10 seconds, and then return to the first position.
6. Try to raise the amount of time you can hold the position, until you reach 45 seconds. You can also take a little more distance from the wall to make things harder on yourself.

Lie down on the floor and push yourself with your hands, with your toes anchored on the floor. The palms of your hands should be just under the shoulders. If this is too hard, start with your knees on the floor and try to work your way up to the full form. more