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9 T M C » P U L S E | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 Deadlifting at 70 Strength training helps prevent osteoporosis and falls T wo years ago, Jean Hoepfel was just starting out for a jog when she tripped over a piece of metal and fell hard onto the sidewalk. The 68-year-old could tell immediately that she'd broken her arm. Amid a rush of adrenaline, she drove herself to the emergency room, where she was treated and referred out for physical ther- apy at Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Sports Medicine Institute. "I was so angry," Hoepfel, now 70, recalled. "I've been active my whole life, and I don't even have osteoporosis." But the incident shook her. How could she avoid this—or worse—in the future? The answer, it turns out, was weight training. A growing body of research shows that phys- ical activity involving weight-bearing exercise can improve muscle mass, strength and balance, increase bone density and also reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis. One in two women will break a bone in their lifetime due to osteoporosis; the incidence is greater than that of heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. And a 2014 study published in the Journal of Family & Community Medicine found that weight- bearing exercise programs increased bone mineral density more than non-weight-bearing exercise in patients ages 60 to 67 who already had osteoporosis. "As we age, we literally need to lift heavy things," said Brian Duncan, a physical therapist and director of human performance and residency programs at Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Sports Medicine Institute. "In our 50s and 60s, we start to rapidly lose strength unless we're provid- ing the body a stimulus, and if we do that, then the body reacts based on the amount and the inten- sity of our stimulus." Duncan explained that while most individuals understand the concept behind growing muscle, they don't realize that the same principle applies to maintaining bone strength. (continued) Jean Hoepfel, 70, performs bicep curls at the Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Sports Medicine Institute's Human Performance Lab. I don't take any drugs at all. Why would you want to take a drug with side effects when you can prevent doing that by changing your lifestyle? — JEAN HOEPFEL Weightlifter B y A l e x a n d r a B e c k e r