Bone and Joint Action Week

Bone and Joint Health National Action Week raises awareness about bone and joint conditions and how to prevent, manage, and treat them. It begins with World Arthritis Day on October 12th and concludes with World Osteoporosis Day on October 20th.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 4 (or 58.5 million) U.S. adults have some form of arthritis, and osteoporosis affects 1 in 5 U.S. women and 1 in 20 U.S. men aged 50 and older. The United States Bone & Joint Initiative identifies bone and joint conditions as the most common causes of severe long-term pain and physical disability worldwide.

Registered exercise professionals can help clients of every age address joint and bone health by:

1. Raising awareness about the bone and joint health benefits of physical activity at every age. These include building strong bones, maintaining strong bones, reducing the rate of bone loss, reducing the risk of fractures, controlling joint swelling and pain, increasing flexibility and strength, and improving range of motion.
2. Incorporating bone-strengthening activities into varied exercise programming. Children and adolescents should include bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week, and adults and older adults should mix in bone-strengthening, balance and flexibility activities along with their aerobic- and muscle-strengthening activities.
3. Delivering safe exercise programming that includes activities that are both joint-friendly and weight-bearing.

Check out our registry to find registered exercise professionals in your community and learn more about the dedicated days during Bone and Joint Health Action Week here.