Exercise's Effects on Bones and Muscles

Click the icon to see an image of the bone-building exercise.

Note on Female Athlete Triad. Some young female athletes who exercise very intensely and are subject to intense pressure to remain thin are at risk for the so-called female athlete triad, which includes osteoporosis.

Effect of Exercise on Back Pain

People who do not exercise regularly face an increased risk for low back pain, especially during times when they suddenly embark on stressful unaccustomed activity, such as shoveling, digging, or moving heavy items. Although no definitive studies have been done to prove the relationship between lack of exercise and low back pain, sedentary living is probably a primary nonmedical culprit contributing to this condition. Lack of exercise leads to the following conditions that may threaten the back:

• Muscle inflexibility can restrict the back's ability to move, rotate, and bend.
• Weak stomach muscles can increase the strain on the back and can cause an abnormal tilt of the pelvis.
• Weak back muscles may increase the load on the spine and the risk for disk compression.
• Obesity puts more weight on the spine and increases pressure on the vertebrae and disks. Studies report only a weak association between obesity and low back pain, however.

Benefits for Chronic Back Pain. People in with sudden and severe back pain should not exercise. Exercise plays a very beneficial role in chronic back pain, however. In one study, for example, patients with back pain lasting for an average of 18 months were assigned eight one-hour exercise sessions over four weeks. They showed greater improvement in nearly every area, including reduced pain and increased capacity, compared to patients who did not exercise.

Exercise should be considered as part of a broader program to return to normal home, work, and social activities. In this way, the positive benefits of exercise not only affect strength and flexibility but they also alter and improve the patients' attitudes toward their disability and pain.

Repetition is the key to increasing flexibility, building endurance, and strengthening the specific muscles needed to support and neutralize the spine. Some exercise programs used for prevention or treatment of chronic low back pain include the following: