Orthopaedic surgeon’s warning to women about bone health: ‘Lifting weights is absolutely non-negotiable because…’
A staggering 50 percent of women will suffer an osteoporotic bone fracture in their lifetime – that is the ‘stop in your tracks’ statistic shared by Dr Jenna-Leigh Wilson, a US-based orthopaedic trauma surgeon. She is now sounding the alarm on why resistance training is no longer optional — it is a matter of life and death. Also read | Does lifting weights make a woman look bulky and manly? Celebrity fitness trainer Tridev Pandey reveals the truth
The deadly reality of hip fractures
In an Instagram post shared on January 7, Dr Wilson argued that while walking and Pilates have their place, they are insufficient for building the structural integrity women need to survive the ageing process. For many, a broken bone sounds like a temporary inconvenience; however, Dr Wilson highlighted a much grimmer reality when those fractures occur in the hip due to osteoporosis, and the mortality statistics for hip fractures are sobering.
In the video she posted, Dr Wilson explained: “You want to know why lifting weights is absolutely non-negotiable for women? I’m going to tell you. I’m an orthopaedic trauma surgeon. I fix bones for a living. And this statistic should make you stop in your tracks. One in two women within their lifetime will experience an osteoporotic fracture.”
Why ‘heavy’ weights matter
She added, “That’s not a small number. You might be thinking, ‘So what? Big deal? Broken bone? Who cares?’ Well, if that osteoporotic fracture happens to be a hip fracture, your mortality rate at one year is 20 to 30 percent at one year. Without surgery, we’re talking about a 75 percent mortality. That’s why lifting weights for women, lifting heavy weights for women is absolutely non-negotiable.”
The surgeon’s advice marked a shift from traditional fitness narratives that often steer women toward low-impact cardio. Dr Wilson likened the female skeletal system to the internal frame of a building. While walking is excellent for general maintenance, lifting heavy weights is the only way to reinforce that frame to prevent a total collapse during a ‘storm’, such as a fall.
Dr Wilson shared: “I don’t care if you walk. I don’t care if you do Pilates. But you absolutely need to be strength training. I do not know how else to say it. That is a non-negotiable for all women.”
A tool for physical independence
As women age, bone density naturally declines, particularly after menopause. Dr Wilson explained that without the mechanical stress provided by resistance training — which signals the body to deposit more calcium into the bone matrix — the skeleton becomes porous and brittle.
By framing strength training as a non-negotiable tool for survival, Dr Wilson hoped to move the conversation away from ‘toning’ and toward long-term physical independence. She wrote in her caption, “Strength is non-negotiable for women. One in two women will experience an osteoporotic fracture in their lifetime. Hip fractures aren’t just injuries… they change survival, independence, and quality of life. Strength training isn’t about aesthetics. It’s preventative medicine.”
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
