Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein

You know, we want to create a big impact, something that's going to create a force more than three times your body weight to stimulate bone formation.

But if you think about the opposite extreme of thing, like if you're an astronaut and you're in microgravity and you're not putting any weight on your bones, just the absence of standing or having like your body weight on your legs will make you lose 1% of your bone density per month.

So in contrast to that, what if I were on crutches?

If you're on crutches for like six weeks, you get diminished bone density in your whole leg and loss of muscle mass.

And it may take one or two years for your bone density to return to normal, like in all parts of your femur.

For example, from...

Just not walking.

So then what about walking?

Is walking, you know, put a load three times your body weight with every step?

No, but it is the opposite of disuse and it does slow bone loss over time.

And people who walk regularly have less risk of fracture.

And the endpoint isn't always bone density.

It's not fracturing.

Not fracturing.

And so I really like to tell people use is the opposite of disuse.

It's not like everything you have to do has to like make new bone and it's worthless.

Like if you're not, these other activities are beneficial too.

And so, you know, you're adding a little bit to your walk.

So I don't think weighted vests are like the magic cure-all, but I think they're a nice addition or tool.

And and they get people excited about going out and walking and getting a little extra workout.