Bone health might not sound like the hottest topic for your next brunch date, but what we do for our bones in our 40s and 50s can shape how strong, active and confident we feel well into our 70s.
Dr Katie Hilton and Dr Laura Clark from The Lifestyle Health Clinic provide their top tips on how to maintain healthy and strong bones.
With oestrogen levels dipping during perimenopause and menopause, bone loss speeds up. That’s why this stage of life is the perfect moment to focus on strength, balance and lifestyle choices that protect your future health.
And the good news? The best bone-health habits are also some of the biggest wellness trends sweeping Cheshire right now.
Cheshire’s Trending Bone-Boosters
- Padel – The Sport Everyone’s Talking About: Padel is social, fun, and fantastic for bone health thanks to the impact and quick direction changes. It’s the perfect excuse to meet friends, move your body, and boost bone density while enjoying yourself.
- Pilates Power: Reformer Pilates is everywhere right now and for good reason. It’s brilliant for posture, core strength, and balance, all of which are vital for protecting bones as we age. While it isn’t the classic bone-loading exercise, it complements higher-impact and resistance training beautifully. Think of Pilates as your foundation: it strengthens your core, improves alignment and enhances stability, making your other bone-boosting activities safer and more effective.
- Yoga for Flexibility and Calm: Yoga might not directly load the bones, but it plays a key role in the bigger picture. It supports flexibility, balance and body awareness, all of which reduce fall risk. Plus, it’s a proven stress-buster and lower stress means healthier bones over the long term.
- Strength Training is Non-Negotiable: Just 20–30 minutes twice a week of resistance training can make a real difference. Whether you join a small-group class or work with a trainer, lifting weights helps bones stay dense and strong, while also building muscle to support joints and prevent injury.
Strength Roots Fitness Classes are a great way to train together and to support each other.
Click to find out more
- Mix in Impact and Try HIIT: Skipping, hopping drills, dancing, or even a few short jogging intervals all help keep bones resilient. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is another excellent option alternating short bursts of effort like squats, lunges, or jumps with rest. It strengthens bones, improves cardiovascular fitness and tones muscle in less time. If you’re new to impact exercise, start gently with low-impact moves, then progress as your confidence grows.
If you fancy giving skipping ago – be inspired by Lauren Jumps.
3 Easy Ways to Strengthen Bones This Week
- Say yes to padel! Grab a friend and book a court at your local club.
- Lift something heavy: Whether it’s a kettlebell at the gym or a resistance band at home, start twice a week.
- Book a Reformer Pilates class: Boutique studios are popping up everywhere and it’s a great way to build strength and stability.
Lifestyle Tweaks for Stronger Bones
- Be Smart with Alcohol: A glass of wine is lovely, but alcohol reduces calcium absorption and weaken bones over time. Aim for under 14 units a week with a few dry days.
- Eat for Your Bones: Think dairy or fortified plant milks, leafy greens, almonds and tinned salmon with bones. Add a vitamin D supplement too as it is tricky to get all the Vitamin D you need from food and sun alone.
- Think Protein First: Protein keeps your muscles strong, which protects your bones. Include it at every meal: eggs, beans, chicken, yoghurt, tofu.
- Sleep and Stress Matter: Chronic stress and poor sleep can affect hormones that impact bone density. Being active doubles as a stressbuster, another win.
When to Get Your Bones Checked
Bone health isn’t just something to think about when you’re older.
- Consider booking a bone health check if you have:
- Menopause before the age of 45 (early menopause)
- A close family member with osteoporosis
- Broken a bone from a minor fall or bump
- Low body weight
- Medical conditions or medications known to affect bone strength (such as steroids, coeliac or thyroid disorders)
Ask your GP about a DEXA bone scan or speak to us at The Lifestyle Health Clinic where we offer a full bone health workup, including vitamin D and hormone testing and access to DEXA bone scanning services.
DEXA Bone Scanner | The Wilmslow Hospital
Find out more here
The Takeaway
Bone health isn’t just about avoiding fractures – it’s about staying vibrant, active and independent. With Cheshire’s growing Pilates studios and padel courts, plus gyms offering strength training tailored to women, there’s never been a better time to build stronger bones.
Strong is most definitely the new stylish!
Find out more about The Lifestyle Health Clinic here.
Dr Katie Hilton & Dr Laura Clark
Dr Laura and Dr Katie have been providing healthcare for a combined duration in excess of 30 years.
In the clinic they have a shared passion to lead the way in patient-centred, whole-health medical care.
They are both Women’s Health Specialist Doctors. Over the years they have completed further study and qualification in Women’s Health, including with the British Menopause Society and the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine. They bring a wealth of experience in treating medical conditions that affect women.
In terms of menopause and hormone care, they each have a unique set of experiences with their own hormone health, that allows them to truly understand and be compassionate of your situations.
Together they believe that all women’s healthcare should feature a deeper understanding of hormones, emotional health, gut health and healthy ageing as standard.
They are both registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) – the organisation responsible for ensuring patient safety and setting standards of GP care in the UK.
Book A Free 15 Min Consultation
