Ask A GP: Should Women Over 40 'Pound The Stairs'?

You probably know that walking and resistance training are both great ways to help your body age healthily. 

Climbing the stairs is great for your muscles and mind, too. 

But orthopaedic surgeon Dr Vonda Wright’s appearance on Davina McCall’s Begin Again podcast was the first time I’d heard the advice to “pound the stairs” for better bone health. 

Reposting the moment on TikTok, neurosurgeon Dr Betsy Grunch agreed with the statement, stressing its importance for women over 40 in her caption as “osteoporosis is incredibly common... bone loss accelerates after menopause”. 

Here, we asked Dr Suzanne Wylie, a GP and medical adviser for IQdoctor, whether she thought that advice stacked up. 

Should women over 40 ‘pound the stairs’? 

The idea that ‘pounding the stairs’ might strengthen bones, especially for women over 40, “aligns with some broader discussions in bone health science,” the GP said.

“Bone is a living tissue that responds to the loads and stresses placed upon it. Weight-bearing and impact exercises help stimulate bone formation and slow bone loss, particularly around and after the menopause when oestrogen levels drop and bone density declines more quickly.”

Brisk walking, jogging, dancing, stair-climbing, low-level jumps, and resistance training can get that process going, she added.

“National guidance from the NHS and specialist bodies like the Royal Osteoporosis Society recommends weight-bearing and resistance exercise as part of preventing osteoporosis and maintaining bone health in adults, including women over 40.” 

But Dr Wylie said the advice “needs careful context”.

“Simply rushing up and down stairs without proper preparation or technique isn’t a prescribed bone-building programme and can risk joint, tendon or soft tissue injury, or even falls, especially in people who are unsteady or have existing joint problems,” the GP said.

“What the evidence supports is a progressive approach to impact and strength training, building up activity gradually, focusing on form, and combining it with resistance work (such as weight training or body-weight exercises) to strengthen the muscles that protect and load the bones.” 

How can I look after my bone health as I age? 

For women over 40, particularly those peri- or post-menopausal, the doctor recommended structured exercise that includes both weight-bearing impact and muscle-strengthening elements “can help maintain bone density and reduce fracture risk over time”.

“The Royal Osteoporosis Society and expert consensus statements recommend moderate impact activities like brisk walking or low-level hopping several times a week, alongside resistance training two to three days a week,” she said.

It’s important to remember that impact doesn’t have to mean very intense movement,” Dr Wylie added.