How does exercise affect bone tissue?

Bone adapts to changing stresses and forces. When muscles increase and become more powerful due to exercise, the corresponding bones also become thicker and stronger through stimulation of osteoblasts. Regular exercise (especially weight-bearing exercise) maintains normal bone structure. Bones which are not subjected to normal stresses, such as an injured leg immobilized in a cast, quickly degenerate. It is estimated that unstressed bones lose up to a third of their mass after a few weeks. The adaptability of bones allows them to rebuild just as quickly when regular, normal weight-bearing activity is resumed.