Osteoporosis exercises: safe strength, impact and balance at home

Published October 14, 2026 · Updated November 1, 2026 · Protocol Archive Editorial

Protocol Archive → Conditions → Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis exercises: safe strength, impact and balance at home

Talk to your doctor first. General education, not medical advice.This content is general education, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Get approval from your physician or another qualified healthcare provider before starting any exercise program, especially if you have a medical condition, a recent injury or surgery, are pregnant, or take medication. Stop and seek medical advice if an exercise causes pain, dizziness, chest discomfort or shortness of breath. You choose to exercise at your own risk. Read the full medical disclaimer.

Last checked: October 2026 · Protocol Archive Editorial · General information, not medical advice

Osteoporosis means your bones have become less dense and more likely to break, often after a minor fall or bump. Common places for these fractures are the wrist, hip and the bones of the spine (vertebrae).

Exercise is one of the main ways to look after your bones. Strength and impact exercise load the bones, while balance and strength training may lower your chance of falling. A UK consensus statement led by the Royal Osteoporosis Society found that exercise is not linked to significant harm, and that its benefits outweigh the risks for most people.

The approach is to do more, not less, while learning a few safe ways to move. Start at a level that suits you and build up gradually.

Get it checked first. If you have had several broken bones or spinal fractures, are recovering from a recent fracture, or have other health conditions, talk to your doctor or a physical therapist before starting. They can tailor impact and strength levels to you.
On this page

  1. Start here: safe movement and first strength
  2. Build strength: legs, arms and back
  3. Add impact and balance
  4. Videos
  5. What to expect
  6. When to get help
Weeks 1–4

Start here: safe movement and first strength

Learn the hip hinge for safe bending and lifting, and start simple leg strength and balance.

  1. Hip Hinge Exercise

    Bend from the hips with your back kept straight. This is the recommended way to bend, move and lift with osteoporosis.

    Typical dose: Practice 8–10 slow hinges, 2–3 days a week, then use the hinge every time you bend or lift1,2,3

  2. Chair Rise Strength Exercise

    Lean forward from the hips with a straight back, then stand using your leg muscles. Sit-to-stand also trains balance.

    Typical dose: 8–12 reps, building up to 3 sets, 2–3 days a week1,3

  3. Weight Shifts (Balance Exercise)

    Hold a counter. A good first step if your balance is poor, before you increase other activity.

    Typical dose: A few minutes of slow shifts side to side and forward and back, 2–3 days a week1

  • Mild muscle soreness or stiffness for a few days after new exercise is normal and should ease as you get used to it.1,2
  • Warm up and cool down, wear supportive shoes, and exercise in a clear space with no trip hazards.2
  • If you have had a spinal fracture, keep moving during recovery but wait until the bone has healed, which can take up to three months, before starting strength exercises.2
Weeks 4–12

Build strength: legs, arms and back

Add resistance for the upper body and back, and build toward 3 sets of 8–12 reps.

  1. Wall Pushups Strength Exercise

    A gentle push exercise for the arms and shoulders. Move closer to the wall to make it easier.

    Typical dose: 8–12 reps, building up to 3 sets, 2–3 days a week1

  2. Resistance Band Row

    Upper-back strengthening is especially recommended for posture. Sit or stand tall; do not round forward.

    Typical dose: 8–12 reps, building up to 3 sets, 2–3 days a week1,6

  3. Superman Exercise (Prone Back Extension)

    Use this as gentle, low-effort back-extensor work, as in Royal Osteoporosis Society guidance: lift only a little. Start with your head and shoulders, or one arm or leg, before trying the full version. Skip it if lying face down is uncomfortable, and check with a physical therapist first after a recent spinal fracture.

    Typical dose: Up to 10 gentle lifts, holding each for 3–5 seconds, 2–3 days a week (a physical therapist may suggest daily back exercises for spinal fracture pain)1

  4. Toe Stand Strength Exercise

    Hold a chair. Heel raises are listed in the consensus as a strength and balance exercise.

    Typical dose: 8–12 reps, building up to 3 sets, 2–3 days a week1

  • Use the heaviest weight or band you can lift safely with good technique, and increase gradually. No set weight is safe or unsafe for everyone; technique matters more.1,2
  • If you feel strain in your back, put the weight down, then reduce the load or change your technique.2
  • Rest a day between strength sessions.2
Week 6 onward, alongside strength work

Add impact and balance

Add bone-loading impact on most days and challenge your balance to lower fall risk.

  1. Marching Exercise (Seated or Standing)

    Standing marching and stamping are lower-impact options. Small jumps, hops or jogging are moderate impact and suit some people once they are ready.

    Typical dose: Brisk marching or walking most days; build toward about 50 moderate impacts per session if suitable, or up to 20 minutes of lower-impact activity if you have spinal fractures or are frail1,2

  2. Heel-to-Toe Balance Walk

    Tandem walking is one of the balance exercises named in the consensus.

    Typical dose: 10–20 steps beside a counter, 2–3 days a week (most days if you fall often)1

  3. Stand on One Foot Balance Exercise

    Hold a chair or counter. Single-leg standing is a recommended balance challenge; tai chi and dance are good options too.

    Typical dose: Hold up to 30 seconds each side, a few times, 2–3 days a week1,6

  • With spinal fractures, low impact is the general rule. Moderate impact may be considered later if the fracture has healed, was not painful, and you are generally fit.1,2
  • Avoid impact work if another condition, such as painful knee arthritis, makes it unsuitable; focus on strength instead.2
  • Avoid sitting for long periods during the day.1

Want this as a checklist? Turn these exercises into a printable home program with videos and daily check-offs. Adjust the list and doses with your clinician.

Make it a home program

Printable handout (PDF, 2 pages). Every exercise on this page with a usual starting amount, boxes for your clinician to write your plan, a pain guide and a 6-week tracker.

Download PDF A4 size Large printEn español: PDF · A4

Watch the exercises

Every exercise above links to its own page with a video and step-by-step instructions. Here are two to start with.

Play video
Hip Hinge Exercise. Full steps, cues and safety notes: Hip Hinge Exercise page.
Play video
Wall Pushups Strength Exercise. Full steps, cues and safety notes: Wall Pushups Strength Exercise page.

What to expect

These are what published guidance usually says. Your own recovery may be faster or slower.

Question What sources say
How often Strength exercise 2–3 days a week; impact exercise on most days; balance 2–3 days a week, or most days if you fall often.1
Strength target Build up gradually to about 3 sets of 8–12 reps with the heaviest load you can lift safely.1
Back strength target Low-intensity back-extension work, up to 10 reps held for 3–5 seconds.1
Impact target About 50 moderate impacts per session, varied in direction and speed, if suitable. Lower impact (such as up to 20 minutes of walking) if you have spinal fractures or are frail.1
After a spinal fracture Wait for the bone to heal, which can take up to three months, before strength exercise; stay active in the meantime.2

What to avoid or change for now

  • Sit-ups, crunches, toe touches and Pilates roll-downs or curl-ups; adapt or replace them.
  • Repeated, sustained or loaded forward bending at the waist; bend from the hips with a straight back instead.
  • Forceful or end-range twisting of the trunk, for example in golf, tennis or some yoga poses; turn by moving your feet.
  • Lifting heavy objects with a rounded back, or strenuous overhead lifting.
  • High-impact moves such as star jumps or jumping down from a height unless a professional has said they suit you.

When to get help

  • Sudden back pain after a minor fall, lift or twist, or even a cough or sneeze. This can be a spinal (vertebral) fracture; contact your doctor promptly.4,5
  • New numbness or weakness in the legs, or loss of bladder or bowel control. Go to the emergency department.4
  • Back pain that is worse when standing or walking and eases when lying down.4
  • Noticeable loss of height or a new curve in your upper back.4,7
  • After a fall, pain in the hip or groin, or you cannot stand or put weight on the leg, which can mean a broken hip. Call 911 or go to the emergency department.
  • Stop exercising if you feel chest tightness, dizziness or lightheadedness, nausea, severe breathlessness, or clammy skin. Call 911 if symptoms are severe or do not settle quickly with rest.2

For a medical emergency, call 911 (US and Canada), 999 (UK), 000 (Australia) or 112.

Next steps

Related guides: Desk stretches, Dynamic warm-up, Strength for runners, or see all conditions.

Need a physical therapist? How to find one in the US or UK, including direct access and checking registration.

More exercises: browse the free exercise library, every one with a video.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to exercise with osteoporosis?

For most people, yes. A UK expert consensus found exercise is not linked to significant harm and that its benefits outweigh the risks. Start gently and build up.

What exercises should I avoid with osteoporosis?

Avoid or modify sit-ups, toe touches, loaded or repeated forward bending, and forceful twisting. Bend from the hips with a straight back, and turn by moving your feet.

Is walking enough for osteoporosis?

Walking is a useful low-impact activity, but experts also recommend muscle strengthening 2–3 days a week and balance training if you are at risk of falls. Some people can add moderate impact such as small jumps or jogging.

Can I exercise after a spinal fracture?

Yes, but keep it low impact, keep moving during recovery, and wait for the bone to heal (up to about three months) before strength work. A physical therapist can guide you if the fracture is painful.

Can I do yoga or Pilates with osteoporosis?

Often yes, with changes. Moves with deep forward bending, curling up or forceful twisting may need to be adapted or swapped.

Sources

  1. Royal Osteoporosis Society (National Osteoporosis Society): Strong, Steady and Straight: quick guide to the expert consensus on exercise for osteoporosis
  2. Royal Osteoporosis Society: How to exercise safely for bones
  3. Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation: Moving safely
  4. Northwestern Medicine: Osteoporotic fracture: symptoms
  5. Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Pain Management): Osteoporosis and back pain
  6. Mayo Clinic: Exercising with osteoporosis: Stay active the safe way
  7. Royal Osteoporosis Society: Osteoporosis symptoms

Last checked October 2026. Found something out of date? Email hello@protocolarchive.com.

This guide summarizes published hospital, health-service and professional-body advice listed under Sources. It is general information, not medical advice, and does not replace an assessment by your own clinician, whose plan may differ for good reasons. Stop an exercise and get advice if it causes sharp or worsening pain. Protocol Archive is independent and is not affiliated with the NHS, AAOS or any hospital or video publisher named on this page.

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