The Talk about Weighted Vests Continues: Why We Can’t Stop Raving about Weighted Vests

By Cameron Vazquez, MPH

We have been here at Center for Better Bones for many years, and so are our clients! — have been singing the praises of weighted exercise vests and belts. And as? Weight-bearing exercise equipment not only allows us to do less and achieve more, but numerous studies have shown that weight-bearing vests and belts can improve strength, balance, and muscle mass, halt bone loss, and even strengthen bones. . You can see all of these studies on our blog, Weighing Weights: How Weighted Vests and Weighted Belts Can Help You. So why are we talking about weight exercise equipment once again? Because the research in support of weighted vests and belts keeps getting our attention!

The use of weighted vests in a Norwegian clinical trial

Another fascinating study on the impact of weighted exercise vests on fracture risk factors comes from Norway. (1) This study followed 42 postmenopausal women older than 50 years with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture. These participants completed a 6-month exercise program called OsteoACTIVE that consisted of 60-minute sessions performed 3 times per week. The exercises performed were designed for strength, balance, coordination, and core stabilization. For more details on the exercises performed and to view images, see the Original Research Article.

Weighted vests were used during the exercise. Each participant started with two 1.1 kg dumbbells (approximately 2.43 lbs) and all but 3 participants increased to nine dumbbells (approximately 21.9 lbs) by the end of the program.

By the end of the 6-month program, a significant improvement was seen in both hip bone density and quadriceps strength. At the 1-year follow-up, it was found that there was a significant improvement in dynamic balance compared to baseline measurements. Here is another study (2) confirming these groundbreaking findings on weight-bearing exercise from 1998.

Why we love weighted vests beyond their bone benefits

With all the research supporting its positive impact on bones, it’s no wonder why we support weighted vests. However, the benefits do not stop there! While incredibly important to your health, we understand that voluntary exercise is no easy feat. With limited time and resources, it’s important to get the most out of your workouts – something that can easily be done with a weighted vest! A few more reasons why we love weighted vests are:

• They are convenient: Weighted vests can be used to add extra weight while doing almost anything, including housework, dancing, walking, etc.
• Weighted vests include a progressive program – you can (and should) start slowly and add weight as you go.
• Weighted vests are relatively safe: there is less risk of injury due to the gradual buildup of weight.
• Weighted vests allow you to do less and achieve more!

We’d also like to point out that while there isn’t as much research on weighted belts, they’re still a great option for many. You can read more about weighted belts on our blog, The Weighted Belt: A New Bone-Strengthening Exercise Tool.

Prevention of bone loss during weight loss

Weight loss among overweight adults improves the prognosis of health outcomes; however, such weight loss comes at a cost to your bones. When older adults lose weight, they also lose bone. At present, American scientists are conducting a studand combining weight loss programs with resistance exercises incorporating the weighted vest. They propose that the use of weighted vests in conjunction with resistance exercise will be more effective in preventing weight loss-induced bone loss than resistance exercise alone. (3)

These researchers propose that weighted vests are likely to be very useful for several reasons:

• They’re doable: Older adults are more likely to wear a weighted vest than get a gym membership, learn about resistance training, or seek proper resistance training supervision.
• Resistance training alone may not be enough to prevent weight loss-related bone loss.
• Weighted vests during exercise can increase BMD and bone turnover, and can affect muscle power.

Therefore, the weighted vest could be a solution to prevent unnecessary bone loss while losing weight!

Best Bones Exercise Resources

Weighted vest and belt

Are you interested in weight exercise equipment? You can check our weighted exercise vest and belt here!

Webinar with Dr. Belinda Beck from the Australian Bone Clinic

Have you ever been told that as an older person, it’s great to exercise, but you can’t build substantial bone with exercise? Dr. Brown sits down with Dr. Belinda Beck, the Australian scientist whose groundbreaking clinical trials clearly document that older people can rebuild bone mass with high-intensity, high-resistance strength training. We like to call her the bone-building mythbuster. Click here to see Dr. Brown and Dr. Beck talk about exercise and bone health.

Evolution of Exercise with Gina Galli, RYT

Exercise Evolution is our exciting new affordable subscription program that we offer at patreon.com. This program will include monthly videos, Dr. Brown’s learning library, a community sharing page, monthly bone-strengthening exercise plans, access to the Better Bones diet, a fitness tracking portal, and more! This program is not only accessible, but also safe. Our goal is to create a community full of like-minded people who support each other and are ready to get out there and get healthy!

References:

1. Hakestad, K.A., et al. 2015. Exercises including weight vests and a patient education program for women with osteopenia: a feasibility study of the OsteoACTIVE rehabilitation program. Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physiotherapy 45(2): 57-147.
2. Shaw, JM, and CM Snow. 1998. Weighted vest exercise improves fall risk indices in older women. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 53(1):M53-M58.
3. Miller, RM, et al. 2021. Incorporating Nutrition, Vests, Education, and Strength Training (INVEST) into Bone Health: Test Design and Methods. Contemporary Clinical Trials 104:106326.