In this episode, I sit down with Dr Lora Giangregorio to unpack what actually works when it comes to building bone strength, preventing fractures, and maintaining independence as we age. We explore how exercise can be used strategically to support bone health, and where common advice often falls short.
This conversation cuts through confusion and highlights the importance of personalised, progressive training. We discuss why balance, resistance, and impact training all matter, how to apply them safely, and why effort and consistency are more important than perfection.
What We Cover
- Why “start where you are” is the most important principle in exercise for bone health
- The difference between balance, resistance, and impact training and why all three matter
- What specificity and progressive overload actually mean in practice
- How to train effectively without needing heavy weights or complex programmes
- Why many people undertrain and how to gauge effort properly
- The role of impact training and how to safely progress toward it
- How nutrition, protein intake, and energy availability influence bone health
- Why adherence and long-term consistency matter more than short-term intensity
Building strength, improving balance, and supporting bone health doesn’t require perfection, but it does require intention. The key is to find an approach you can sustain and progressively build over time.
To explore more of Dr Lora Giangregorio’s work, follow her on TikTok, connect with her on LinkedIn, and visit her University of Waterloo profile to learn more about her research in bone health, exercise, and fracture prevention.
- Intro (00:00)
- The Real Cost of Fractures (01:25)
- Is Osteoporosis a Lifelong Process? (06:39)
- Who Is Most at Risk for Fragility Fractures (09:32)
- What Actually Determines Fracture Risk (12:49)
- How a DEXA Scan Works and How to Read Your Results (26:30)
- How to Monitor Bone Loss and Choose the Right Treatment (32:06)
- How Menopause Accelerates Bone Loss (41:52)
- Bone Health Myths Debunked (46:08)
- Evidence-Based Exercise Guidelines for Bone Health (59:15)
- The Three Pillars of Bone Health Exercise (1:04:15)
- Why Specificity and Progressive Overload Matter (1:09:48)
- How to Structure Your Weekly Bone Health Training (1:13:39)
- Resistance Training for Bone Health (1:22:31)
- How to Choose the Right Load and Effort (1:27:10)
- Making Bone Health Exercise Accessible to Everyone (1:38:09)
- High-Risk Exercises to Avoid with Low Bone Density (1:42:22)
- Does Yoga, Swimming, or Cycling Help Your Bones? (1:47:18)
- What Is Bone Fit and Who Is It For? (1:52:47)
- How to Safely Build Up to Impact Training (1:55:57)
- Free Resources for Fracture Recovery (2:02:06)
- Nutrition for Bone Health (2:05:10)
- GLP-1 Drugs and Bone Loss (2:12:48)
- Future Research on Exercise, Creatine, and Bone Health (2:16:09)
- Why Effort Matters More Than the Weight You Lift (2:22:15)
- What Is Possible When You Commit to Bone Health (2:25:48)
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More about Lora Giangregorio
Lora Giangregorio, PhD is a professor and tier 1 canada research chair in bone health and exercise science in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo. She leads the Bone Health and Exercise Science Lab, or BonES lab. The BonES lab team leads research on physical activity for fall and fracture prevention. Dr Giangregorio is a member of the Scientific Advisory Council for Osteoporosis Canada and was on the leadership team that developed the 2020 Canadian 24-hour Movement Guidelines. She also led the Exercise Working Group for the 2023 Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Osteoporosis and Fracture Prevention in Canada.
