How High Can You Jump? The Movement May Reveal Something Important About Your Health
In a world of wearables that can calculate our biological age and report our heart rate at any time of the day, simple movement tests may feel archaic. But knowing how your body executes functional movements is a real determinant of future health.
New research1 suggests that how high and powerfully you can jump might reveal something about your hip bone strength that a standard bone scan can't.
What the researchers looked at
A team of researchers studied 60 healthy older adults living independently in their communities. It was a relatively small group, and most participants were women, with just 17 were men. (It's worth noting that this tracks with population numbers—80% of Americans diagnosed with osteoporosis are women.)
Each person performed two types of jumps: a countermovement jump, where you dip down before explosively jumping up, and a squat jump, where you jump straight up from a stationary squat position.
Using force-measuring equipment, the researchers tracked how much power and force each person generated during the push-off phase of their jumps. Then, using a full-body bone scan, they measured the thickness, shape, and mineral content of each person's hip and spine bones. The goal was to figure out whether how someone jumps is connected to how strong their bones actually are.
The key finding
The force generated during the push-off phase of the countermovement jump was connected to the width and shape of bone at the top of the thigh bone, right where it meets the hip. People who pushed off the ground more powerfully tended to have hip bones with a larger cross-sectional area and sturdier overall structure, the kind of shape that's more resistant to bending and breaking.
Several other jump measurements, including power output from both jump types, were also linked to a measure of how well that same hip bone region could resist bending forces. None of the jump measurements, though, were connected to bone mineral density, the standard measurement doctors use to assess fracture risk via a bone density scan.
In other words, two people could have the exact same bone density score, yet have very different hip bone shapes and structural strength, meaning jump testing may pick up on a difference that a density scan alone would not.
Why this matters beyond the study
Hip fractures are also a massive public health issue. According to a recent review on hip fractures2, more than 14.2 million people worldwide and 280,000 people in the U.S. experience one every year, with a median one-year mortality rate of 22%. Older age and being a woman, thanks to accelerated bone loss after menopause and higher fall rates, are among the biggest risk factors.
Bone density has long been the go-to number for assessing fracture risk, but it's not the full picture. A review of what actually causes hip fractures3 in older adults found that bone density alone can't account for every fracture case, since various structural features of bone also affect how easily it breaks. Jump testing may serve as a practical, functional way to flag loading forces relevant to hip bone strength, something that's otherwise hard to measure outside a lab.
The study only tracked associations, so it can't show that jumping more directly builds a stronger hip. However, it's worth exploring whether this jump test captures something density might otherwise miss, even if the test is imperfect and in early-stages like this one.
How to use this information now
Jumping and impact-based movement can be a valuable tool for bone health when it's appropriate for your body. Putting safe, powerful force through your legs and hips on a regular basis supports the kind of bone-building stress that bone tissue responds to.
If you want to try adding some power-based movement to your week, consider these tips:
- Start with bodyweight basics: Box step-ups, sit-to-stands done quickly, or small hops in place build explosive leg power without needing equipment.
- Progress gradually: Add height, speed, or reps only once a movement feels fully controlled.
- Get guidance if you have low bone density: If you've been diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis, work with a physical therapist or trainer experienced in bone health before adding jumping or high-impact moves. Unsupervised high-impact exercise can raise fracture risk in already-weakened bones.
- Pair it with strength training: Classic resistance exercises, like squats and deadlifts, build the muscle that protects your joints and supports your bones alongside any power work.
The takeaway
A simple jump test won't replace your bone density scan anytime soon, and larger studies are needed before doctors could use it as a standard tool. However, this research shows that bone health comes down to more than one number, and that our ability to do everyday functional movements is correlated to our general health. The power you generate moving off the ground may tell you something valuable that a lab test couldn't.
