age, osteoporosis + arthritis

• children should not participate in weight training because their bones are still growing; putting too much force on the bones damages the epiphyseal plates. Damage to these plates in childhood and puberty can result in stunted growth
• osteoporosis is the weakening of bones due to loss of calcium or lack of vitamin D
• as you age, you loose mineral density and become more naturally brittle, fragile and bones become more likely to break under stress
• physical activity can prevent osteoporosis by promoting increased uptake of minerals within bones. This leads to an increase in bone mineral density
• weight bearing exercise such as walking, jogging, dancing, tennis etc. Is best for preventing osteoporosis
• resistance training will help to prevent osteoporosis because overloading the skeleton will eventually lead to an increase in bone density
• arthritis is a condition where there's inflammation in a synovial joint, causing pain and stiffness in the joint
• most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis which is caused by the general wear and tear over time
• osteoarthritis reduces and damages cartilage tissue resulting in bone (ends) rubbing together. This can be made worse by injury to the joint
• regular exercise can prevent arthritis
• in physical activity, synovial fluid is produced, improving lubrication of the joints. It also reduces friction between bones and provides important minerals to cartilage which helps arthritis
• stretching will improve the joint range of motion, lengthen the ligaments and improve flexibility which helps arthritis
• swimming is low impact and doesn't cause any stress or strain on the joints so it's great for people with arthritis