'The Effects of Exercise on the Bones' lesson plan kit is part of the Strength in Science project developed in collaboration between researchers, science teachers, PE teachers, fitness instructors, and Junior Cycle students.
Download Kit: Worksheet |. Lesson Plan
In this short film, we meet NUI Galway researcher, Professor Laoise McNamara, who explains the science behind how exercise is good for your bones. It includes suggestions for what types are exercise are particularly good for your bones. Also we learn about the latest work in medical devices to support your bones.
There are three main types of bone cells which constantly repair and reshape your bones as your body needs it. Osteoclasts remove old or damaged bone, and osteoblasts make new bone in its place. Osteocytes act as “sensors” to monitor the mechanical forces that occur due to exercise, and on this basis, control the activity of the osteoclasts and osteoblasts. As you get older, your osteoclasts start to break down the bones more than the osteoblasts build them up. If the bones are broken down too much the result can be osteoporosis.
Exercises that apply forces against your bones stimulate bone cells to build up your bone density. Most people obtain what is called their peak bone mass when they are between 16-25 years old. This is the maximum amount of bone a person has during their life. If you can build your peak bone mass to be as strong as possible in your early teens, it will prevent you from having too much bone loss later in life. A good way to build your peak bone mass is with exercises that exert forces on your bones such as walking, running or jumping!
Prof. Laoise McNamara and her research group at the National University of Ireland Galway are studying the ability of bone cells to sense and respond to forces. In particular, they are testing if osteocytes lose their ability to sense their mechanical environment during osteoporosis. This research is helping to develop new approaches for treating osteoporosis.
Her research group designs experiments to simulate forces that bone cells feel using a special machine called a bioreactor. Osteocytes are placed in a bioreactor which recreates forces that bones encounter. This allows her lab to measure the ability of osteocytes to sense and respond to their mechanical environment.
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Stretches:
After the warm-up, get the students to perform dynamic stretches targeting the following muscle groups in preparation for the activities:
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Instructions:
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Get the students to perform static stretches targeting the following muscle groups that were worked during the activities:
At present it is estimated that 300,000 people in Ireland have osteoporosis. One in four men and one in two women over 50 will develop a fracture due to osteoporosis in their lifetime. The disease can also affect children.
A wide range of products relevant to treating damaged bones and other musculoskeletal tissues are manufactured in Ireland. These include hip and knee implants, bone cement, and surgical blades used for cutting and shaping bones. In fact, 75% of global orthopaedic knee production comes from Ireland. Stryker is one of the world’s leading MedTech companies producing medical devices to treat the musculoskeletal system. Styker has four manufacturing sites and a Research and Development Innovation Centre based in Cork and Limerick. Zimmer Biomet, with facilities in Galway and Shannon, supplies hospitals and orthopaedic surgeons with implants for hips, knees, extremities, spine and trauma.
Junior Cycle Science Curriculum Links |
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Junior Cycle Short Course in Physical Education (2016) |
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Junior Cycle Syllabus in Physical Education (2003) |
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