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Dear Susan,

I am so glad you brought up the phrase "weight bearing".  It means standing, walking, jogging, etc., on any surface.  It does not mean lifting anything except yourself.  Full weightlessness is that experienced by a person in space, and one of their most serious problems is calcium loss from their bones.  Bones are living things and constantly gain and lose calcium and strength. Bones get stronger and add calcium in response to demand by gravity, that is, bearing weight. Swimming is less than 1/10th , bicycling about one-half, and walking is full weight bearing.  No machines or free weights are required.  A treadmill does work wonderfully well, same as the ground.

On the bright side, if you happen to be a bit stout or heavy, you are less likely to break a hip later in years because your bones are stronger from bearing more weight.  STOP.  That is not an invitation to fatten up. Talk with your doctor about avoiding, diagnosing and treating frail bones, osteoporosis, there is much new knowledge.

George L. Dixon, Jr., M.D.