Weekend Challenge: Single Leg Osteogenic Loader

Vivian Goldschmidt, MA Exercise

Evidence-Based
5 min Read
weekend challenge

This might surprise you: hopping is one of the most effective ways to increase bone density in specific areas of your body, including the femoral head. That’s because hopping is a high impact move and a form of osteogenic loading (OL) that applies force and pressure to bone, “loading” it with weight along the longitudinal axis of your body.

While the term “osteogenic loading” may not have found its way into common parlance, the concept itself is not new. It basically ties in with Wolff’s Law, which dates back to the 19th century, and states that bone grows and remodels in response to the forces applied to it.

Osteogenic loading stimulates new bone growth and mineral absorption at the site receiving the greatest impact, and according to a recent study, osteogenic loading is a key element in new bone formation for postmenopausal females.

There are more reasons why this weekend’s exercise should be added to your bone-strengthening routine, as you’ll learn today.

Why:

The Single Leg Osteogenic Loader specifically targets the femoral head, core muscles, and hip flexors. Additionally, this exercise improves balance, which is critical in preventing falls.

The femoral head is located at the top of the femur (as the name indicates), and rests snugly in the hip socket. This ball and socket joint is remarkably articulated and flexible, allowing your legs to move in just about any direction.

The femoral head is at the end of the femoral neck, which is prone to fracture, especially if you’ve ever taken bisphosphonates, which increase the risk of atypical femoral fractures.

The good news is, scientific research confirms that bone mineral density (BMD) increases with osteogenic loading exercises.

Scientifically Proven: Osteogenic Loading Increases Bone Density

Researchers from the UK and the US collaborated in an effort to study OL and how it specifically relates to bone density. The study subjects were postmenopausal women with a mean age of 69 (ages ranged from 55 to 87) and T-scores of -1.0 or lower (or an osteoporosis diagnosis). None of the study subjects were taking osteoporosis drugs.

After a 24-week trial period during which the subjects engaged in weekly OL sessions, the scientists found that:

“The baseline-post measures showed significantly increased… BMD with the subgroup in both the hip and spine” … All subjects gained BMD in either the hip, spine or both and no BMD values declined from baseline.”1

An increase in BMD, or bone mineral density, as a result of osteogenic loading exercise is wonderful news for this weekend’s “hoppers”! It gets even better. The researchers also measured “functional bone performance,” or FBP, which is an evaluation of how much force a bone can absorb before it breaks. The FBP increased in the study participants as well, making OL “relevant to protection against fracture during…a fall.”1

In today’s exercise, the femoral head gets plenty of loading thanks to the hopping action, and you’ll also be lifting your legs and engaging your hip flexors, which are actually part of the abdominal muscles that make up your core. Keeping the hip flexors strong is very important in fall prevention, since the hip flexors allow you to pick up your feet to clear objects and get up and down stairs (as well as a host of other motions).

Because it works core muscles in addition to the hip flexors, the Single Leg Osteogenic Loader is a powerful balance enhancer.

How:

single leg osteogenic loader

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Clasp your hands lightly just below your chest.
  2. Lift one knee up as high as you can and hop three times on the foot on the floor.
  3. Switch legs and hop three times on the other foot.
  4. Repeat this hopping motion, switching legs after every three hops, for 30 to 45 seconds.

To continue with osteogenic loading, try following up this weekend’s exercise with these Weekend Challenges:

If you are unable to perform high-impact exercises due to certain health or joint conditions, don’t despair, because…

Other Forms Of Targeted Exercise Benefit Your Bones And Your Health

While OL has specific benefits, it’s not the only way to build strong and fracture-resistant bones. There are other targeted forms of exercise designed to build bone and to help you reap the benefits that encompass the entire body, for mental, emotional, cardiovascular, and metabolic health.

With the Densercise™ Epidensity Training System, you’ll find a variety of moves that include high-impact, weight-bearing, and resistance exercises. It’s always a good idea to practice as many different forms of exercise as possible so your bones get a thorough workout.

Densercise™ combines variety with targeted density-increasing moves, to give your bones the stimulation they need to remodel and rejuvenate.

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I hope you enjoyed this weekend’s challenge! Please feel free to leave a comment below to discuss your thoughts about osteogenic loading, high-impact exercise, and other topics related to this weekend’s post.

Have a great weekend!

vivian sig

References:

1 Hunte, Bazil, Jaquish, John, and Huck, Corey. “Axial Bone Osteogenic Loading-Type Resistance Therapy Showing BMD and Functional Bone Performance Musculoskeletal Adaptation Over 24 Weeks with Postmenopausal Female Subjects.” Journal of Osteoporosis and Physical Activity. 3. 146. (2015). Web. https://www.esciencecentral.org/journals/axial-bone-osteogenic-loadingtype-resistance-therapy-showing-bmd-andfunctional-bone-performance-musculoskeletal-adaptation-over-24-weeks-withpostmenopausal-female-subjects-2329-9509-1000146.php?aid=58088