By: Rani Helvey-Byers, PT, DPT, OCS
When we think of exercises that keep us strong and healthy, we often picture walking, lifting weights, or stretching. But did you know that something as simple as jumping can be one of the best things you can do for your bones?
Why Bone Density Matters
Our bones are living tissue. They remodel constantly—breaking down old bone and building new bone. This process keeps bones strong, but as we age, bone breakdown can begin to outpace bone building. That’s when bone density decreases, raising the risk for osteopenia or osteoporosis.
The good news? You can encourage your bones to stay strong by giving them the right kind of stress. That’s where jumping comes in.
How Jumping Strengthens Bones
Bones respond to impact and loading. When your feet hit the ground with force—like in a jump—it sends a signal to your bones that they need to adapt. This stimulates your body to build more bone, especially in weight-bearing areas like the hips, spine, and legs.
Research shows that brief bouts of high-impact exercise, such as jumping, can increase or maintain bone mineral density—particularly in younger people and in postmenopausal women who are at higher risk of bone loss.(1-3)
How to Start Jumping for Bone Health
You don’t need to spend hours at the gym or take up intense plyometric training. Start small and work within your comfort level:
Work with a Professional to get the Basics Down First: Working with a skilled physical therapist to ensure proper form and gradual progression is critical to avoiding injury. Physical therapists will also ensure that you have appropriate muscle strength and coordination to safely initiate jumping into your routine.
Begin Small and Progress Slowly: 10–20 small jumps in place, once a day is enough to begin. Once your bones, muscles, tendons, and joints get used to this new impact, progress by no more than 5-10% per week.
Jump safely on a flat surface with supportive shoes. If you have balance limitations, using upper body support may be needed.
Land with Good Form: Landing in a slight squat position with your knees slightly bent. Do not let your knees collapse in towards each other or come too far forward.
Good Form: Hips back, knees slightly bent and stacked over feet.
Bad Form: Knees too far forward, hips under torso, knees collapsing inwards. (Ouch)
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References:
Bassey EJ, Rothwell MC, Littlewood JJ, Pye DW. Pre- and postmenopausal women have different bone mineral density responses to the same high-impact exercise. J Bone Miner Res. 1998;13(12):1805-1813.
Kato T, et al. Effect of low-repetition jump training on bone mineral density. J Appl Physiol. 2006.
Hartley C, et al. High-Impact Exercise Increased Femoral Neck Bone Mass. J Bone Miner Res. 2020.