If you have ever broken a bone or strained a muscle, you know how such an injury can affect your life. Sometimes for weeks or months or years! So it’s always a good idea to review how to keep your muscles and bones healthy to prevent injury and optimize your health every day!

  • Bones provide the structural strength for the entire body. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to withstand the force of gravity. Weak bones break easier and contribute to a decreased quality of life. This happens when there aren’t enough minerals to support the maintenance of bones and tiny holes begin to form in them. Diet plays a large role in keeping bones healthy such as vegetables, which provide a variety of benefits for bones.  Eating these throughout your life can help protect bone mass in both young and older people. Other nutrients that boost bone strength are protein, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium, zinc, and omega-3 fats. Also, strength training and weight-bearing activities are great ways to promote bone health. These types of activities help improve the amount of bone that is created during years of peak bone growth (childhood to about 30 years of age). In older adults, these activities help to prevent bone loss.
  • Muscles give us the ability to move our body parts against gravity and allow us to perform the activities we enjoy. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to run, jump, throw a ball, or even give our family and friends hugs. Weak muscles can lead to chronic pain and changes to our other bodily structures. Therefore, it is important to maintain our muscular health. Stretching is a great way to maintain their health. This helps to warm-up the muscles before strenuous activities. Another way to maintain healthy muscles is a proper diet. Water provides essential electrolytes for muscle strength and control as well as consuming a balanced meal plan.

Exercise is a great way to maintain muscular health throughout your life. Aim to move some way every day, even if it’s in ten-minute increments. Your health depends on it!

Tyler Norris
Gannon University
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Student