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Osteoporosis

4 Outdated Myths About Exercise and Osteoporosis, Debunked

Lauren Smith, MAMandy Armitage, MD
Written by Lauren Smith, MA | Reviewed by Mandy Armitage, MD
Updated on January 15, 2026
Featuring Joan PaganoReviewed by Mandy Armitage, MD | January 15, 2026

Osteoporosis — which translates to “porous bone” — has been a condition that stumped doctors and researchers for centuries. Although doctors know much more today about what causes osteoporosis and how to prevent it, misinformation continues to circulate in the general public.

“We need to update our thinking on osteoporosis because there are still a lot of outdated thoughts,” says Joan Pagano, exercise physiologist in New York City.

References

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Lauren Smith, MA
Written by:
Lauren Smith, MA
Lauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.
Mandy Armitage, MD
Reviewed by:
Mandy Armitage, MD
Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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