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Give Your Bones a Weighted Vest

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What it is:


One of the best activities anyone and everyone should be performing is walking with a weighted vest. It targets aerobic capacity, body composition, strength, bones, and balance. You can change up pace, weight, and incline to suit your needs.


The weighted vest has weights embedded in the material to increase resistance on the body, a technique frequently referred to as Rucking. Unlike other resistance methods, it allows you to move hands-free and participate in other activities, such as walking, house chores, or any other scenario you’d like to increase the challenge, calorie burn, or best of all, bone density.



What the research says:


Rucking combines resistance training from the weights and the low-impact benefits of walking, which makes it especially effective for building and maintaining bone density. The weight-bearing nature stimulates bone formation by applying mechanical stress to the skeleton, which is crucial for preventing osteoporosis and age-related bone loss.


Research supports the effectiveness of weighted exercise for bone health. For example, a long-term study with postmenopausal women found that combining weighted vests with jumping exercises helped maintain hip bone mineral density, thereby preventing significant bone loss during a period when the risk of osteoporosis is highest. Similarly, a six-week study with older women using weighted vests during step exercises showed notable improvements in lower limb power and stair climbing ability, both of which are linked to stronger bones and prolonged independence in aging populations. These findings highlight how adding external weight during movement can enhance bone strength and reduce the risk of fractures.


Now, if this process doesn’t suit your lifestyle, there are many other ways to stimulate bone growth from bodyweight exercises, hopping, and other weight-bearing movements. Stimulus to bone growth can be achieved by resistance training or even the introduction of impact training such as hopping, skipping, or bounding.


However, be cautious as carrying heavy loads can alter gait mechanics and increase the impact on lower body joints, potentially raising the risk of bone stress injuries if not done properly. Start with light weights and gradually increase the load as strength improves.


If you have existing neck or back pain, certain injuries, or are pregnant, speak with your doctor as this may not be right for you.



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