What is an example of weight-bearing exercise?

• A. Swimming
• B. Walking
• C. Cycling
• D. Yoga

Answer: (B)

Weight-bearing exercises are activities that force your body to work against gravity and involve the muscles and bones. These types of exercises are crucial for maintaining and improving bone density, which is particularly important for individuals at risk of osteoporosis.

Walking, as identified in the answer, is a prime example of weight-bearing exercise. It involves the impact of body weight through the legs and feet, which helps stimulate bone formation and strengthens the bones and muscles in the lower body.

Other activities such as swimming and cycling, while beneficial for cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength, do not qualify as weight-bearing since they are performed in a way that reduces the stress on the bones. In swimming, buoyancy in the water significantly decreases the weight that bones have to support. Cycling, while beneficial for leg strength and cardiovascular fitness, is also done in a non-weight-bearing manner since the body is supported by the bike.

Yoga can include some weight-bearing elements, especially in postures that require balance and support of body weight, but it does not consistently apply the same level of impact and stress on the skeletal system as walking does.

Thus, walking stands out as a straightforward and effective example of a weight-bearing exercise that contributes to bone health.