How Not To Break A Hip

1 min

The research, which included 77,206 women who were followed for an average of 14 years, concluded that those who regularly walked briskly or jogged had a 12 percent lower risk of hip fracture than less active women. The more often the women walked at any speed, the lower their risk of a broken hip. The risk was also lower for those whose activities included slow dancing, bowling or golfing. The women were between age 50 and 79 when they joined the study. At the time they reported on their usual physical activities as well as other lifestyle factors. The only downside seen is that women who performed moderate to vigorous exercise had a relatively higher risk of a wrist or forearm fracture, compared to less active women. Study leader Michael J. LaMonte of the State University of New York at Buffalo suggested that this may happen when women with more “functional ability” do fall, they may reflexively stretch out an arm to break the fall, which may lead to the wrist and forearm fractures. The study didn’t determine whether women who begin to exercise late in life reduce their risk of breaking a hip.

Source:
Michael J. LaMonte et al, “Association of Physical Activity and Fracture Risk Among Postmenopausal Women,” JAMA Network Open, October 25, 2019, doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.14084

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