When we think about exercise, we often focus on building stronger muscles, improving fitness or maintaining mobility.
But what about our bones?
Our bones are living tissues that respond to the demands we place on them. One of the key concepts that helps us understand this is Wolff’s Law.
What Is Wolff’s Law?
Wolff’s Law is named after Julius Wolff, a German anatomist and surgeon who lived from 1836 to 1902.
Wolff developed the principle that bone adapts to the mechanical demands placed upon it.
In simple terms:
Place an appropriate amount of load on your bones → your bones adapt to that demand.
When mechanical loading is reduced substantially for long periods, bone tissue can also become weaker.
This is one reason why physical activity is an important part of supporting bone health throughout life.
How Do Bones Adapt to Load?
Bone isn’t simply a solid, inactive structure. It is living tissue that continually undergoes a process known as bone remodelling.
When your body experiences mechanical loading, your bones receive signals that help them respond to those demands.
The internal structure of bone includes a lightweight, honeycomb-like area often described as spongy or trabecular bone, surrounded by a denser outer layer known as cortical bone.
With appropriate mechanical loading, the structure of bone can adapt to better tolerate the forces it experiences.
This doesn’t mean that every workout automatically makes your bones stronger. The type, intensity, frequency and progression of loading all matter.
Why Variety Matters for Bone Health
Here’s where things get particularly interesting.
Our bones don’t simply respond to any movement in exactly the same way.
If you repeatedly expose your body to the same stimulus, the tissues can become accustomed to it. This means that doing the same low-level activity over and over may not provide the same bone-loading stimulus as introducing different types of movement and resistance.
Walking is a fantastic form of physical activity and has many health benefits. However, if walking is the only form of loading your bones experience, it may not provide enough variety or progression to maximise the mechanical stimulus.
This is why varied movement and resistance training can be useful additions to your exercise routine.
Progressive Resistance Training and Bone Health
Research has investigated the relationship between resistance training and bone health.
A 2022 systematic review found that progressive resistance training was associated with improvements in lower-limb muscle strength and increases in bone mineral density at the femur and hip in the populations studied.
This is an important reminder that strength training isn’t just about building muscle.
It can also form part of a wider approach to maintaining musculoskeletal health.
Think Beyond Forward and Backward
Most of us spend a lot of our day moving forwards and backwards.
Walking, running and cycling are excellent examples.
But our bodies are capable of moving in many different directions.
For bone health, it can be useful to introduce appropriate loading in different directions and planes of movement, such as:
- Side-to-side movements
- Lateral lunges
- Step-ups and step-downs
- Changes of direction
- Loaded squats
- Resistance exercises
- Controlled jumping or impact-based exercise where appropriate
The right exercises will depend on your individual circumstances, training history and bone health.
Variety is the key idea.
Rather than doing exactly the same movement every day, think about how you can safely expose your body to different types of loading.
Your Bones Like a Challenge
The takeaway from Wolff’s Law isn’t that you need to exercise harder and harder.
Instead, it’s about providing your bones with appropriate and progressive mechanical loading.
Your bones respond to the demands placed upon them, so giving them different challenges can be an important part of a well-rounded exercise programme.
And this is particularly relevant as we get older and become more aware of maintaining bone strength and reducing the risk associated with low bone density.
Start Where You Are
If you’re new to resistance training or have concerns about your bone health, you don’t need to jump straight into high-impact exercise.
Start with movements that are appropriate for your current ability and gradually build your strength, control and confidence.
If you have osteoporosis, osteopenia, a history of fractures or another medical condition affecting your bones, seek appropriate professional advice before changing your exercise programme.
The goal is to find the right level of loading for your body.
Want to Learn More About Bone Health?
I’m passionate about helping people understand that bone health deserves to be part of the exercise conversation.
That’s why I’ll be sharing more information about bones, exercise and practical ways to support bone health.
I’m also planning a bone health talk and practical session in January, where we’ll explore these ideas in more detail and look at exercises you can use in your own training.
If you’d like to join the waiting list, comment BONES below.
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