Exercise Can Lower Older Women's Fracture Risk

A study of more than 77,000 older U.S. women published in JAMA Network Open suggests exercise can reduce their risk of suffering a broken hip, reports WebMD . On average, women who regularly exercised at any intensity were less susceptible to hip fracture than inactive women over 14 years. "This suggests that to lower your risk of hip fracture, you don't need to do anything fancy," said State University of New York at Buffalo Professor Michael LaMonte. "It can be as simple as walking." LaMonte acknowledged the study cannot determine whether starting exercise at an older age reduces hip fracture risk, although he stressed that "sitting less and moving more" is critical to older adults' health in general. Lower-impact activities do not have a big impact on bone density, but Richard Bockman at New York City's Hospital for Special Surgery said although bone density plays a role in hip fracture risk, other factors are also involved — including muscle strength in the lower body, balance, and agility.