- Climbing stairs with force can stimulate bone growth and strength.
- Faster, more impactful stair climbing is better for bones than slow, gentle movements.
- Eating bone-healthy foods like salmon, tofu and prunes also strengthens bones as you age.
Climbing the stairs has a ton of benefits, some more obvious than others. For starters, it’s a straightforward form of exercise that can support healthy weight loss, if that is your goal. Plus, those who climb 60 to 100 steps per day may reduce their heart attack risk by up to 17%.
But did you know that how you take the stairs could impact your bone health, especially if you’re over 40? Betsy Grunch, M.D., FAANS, FACS, is a board-certified neurosurgeon specializing in minimally invasive spinal surgery and artificial disc replacement. She took to TikTok to respond to a video of orthopedic surgeon Vonda Wright, M.D., in which Wright noted that “pounding the stairs” equates to better bone health.
“Bones are living tissue, and they only stay strong if they’re challenged,” Grunch explains. “So when you pound stairs, you’re actually doing something very specific for your skeleton. Every step is going to create ground reaction force, so that force travels up your foot, through your leg and into your hips and your spine. And bone cells, they sense that stress and respond by laying down more bone.”
By “pounding the stairs,” the doctors mean to stomp a foot on each stair with an intended force as you walk up them. Bones turn force into strength, and Grunch goes on to explain why this is particularly important for women.
“Osteoporosis is incredibly common. One in every two women over the age of 50 will break a bone related to osteoporosis,” the doctor says. “Bone loss accelerates after menopause, and most women don’t even realize they’re losing bone until they suffer a fracture.”
There’s one more stair-climbing factor that can help support your skeleton, Grunch notes.
“Speed matters too, so faster, more forceful movements stimulate bone far more than slow, gentle ones,” she states. “Walking is great for your mental health, but it doesn’t create enough force to stop bone loss.”
Now, there’s no issue with walking every day, as a daily walk can improve your blood sugar, lower your risk of dementia and, like Grunch mentioned, boost your mood. But pounding the stairs—alongside resistance training and aerobic exercise—is a simple movement that can promote stronger bones as you age.
Plus, adding more bone-healthy foods into your diet, like tofu, prunes, dairy and salmon, is a great way to keep your skeleton strong. Try dietitian-approved recipes featuring bone-strengthening ingredients, like our Anti-Inflammatory Cherry, Beet & Kale Smoothie or Lemony Lentil Salad with Salmon.
