While it is expected that women will lose bone density after menopause, this is something that can be helped. New research shows that jumping a mere 20 times per day can help!

Build your bones by jumping 20 times per day, according to a recent study found in the American Journal of Health Promotion. Results showed that jumping can provide better benefits when it comes to protecting your bones than running.

This recent study, conducted over a period of four months, examined the results of 60 participants, pre-menopausal women between the ages of 25 and 50 years.

The participants jumped 10 times, twice daily, with a 30-second break between jumps. Women were instructed to jump as high as they could from the floor, in bare feet, with no specific pads or equipment. They significantly increased their hip bone mineral density after four months by .5%.

The control group, which did not participate in the jumping, lost approximately 1.3% of their bone mass during this same time period.

Scientists know that bone density accumulates most rapidly during the adolescent years, but definitely slows down as part of the aging process. 

For most people, bone mass reaches its peak around 25 years of age. Following menopause, women can actually lose up to 20% of their bone mass. This problem is compounded by the fact that fewer women participate in bone building activities following menopause. 

By performing the jumping exercises on a daily basis, women can prevent significant bone loss. Larry Tucker, Ph.D., one of the lead researchers, states, “Women have to do the jumps daily to get the benefits. In addition, keep in mind, as women age it's more and more difficult to improve bone density.”

Researchers noted that this jumping routine is not recommended for those women already diagnosed with osteoporosis, and that checking with a physician in these cases would be especially important. Osteoporosis affects more than 200 million women worldwide. 

But, for most healthy women, jumping ten times, twice per day, can be extremely helpful for preventing bone loss—and, these benefits are extended to those who already participate in weight bearing exercise like jogging or running, too.

Women who have lived a more sedentary life will be able to improve their bone density, but the earlier the jumping begins, the more helpful it will be.

SOURCES: https://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/jumping-increases-bone-density-more-running;https://www.iofbonehealth.org/facts-statistics; Image courtesy of sakhorn38 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net