Older people would be willing to boost bone strength by giving jumping exercises a try

Older people would be willing to increase their bone strength in later life by doing exercises including jumping and hopping, new research from Bristol University has found. The study, funded by the Medical Research Council award to Professor Jon Tobias in the Musculoskeletal Research Unit, found that if older people overcome the barriers to undertaking the exercises, they would be willing to undertake the type of exercises that are likely to increase their bone density and strength, which in turn could reduce their risk of falls or bone fractures. The researchers' paper was published in Osteoporosis International. Lead researcher Dr Bethany Simmonds , from the School of Social and Community Medicine , said: 'Fracturing bones are painful for the individual and costly for the economy. Moreover, having a fracture or fall can be a turning point in an older person's life. It can lead to a loss of confidence, and a shift from being independent into being far more reliant on others and less able to do things for themselves. 'Our study found older people were worried about damaging their joints and falling over.