摘要:The key role of physical activity in the development and maintenance of bone mass and resistance is widely accepted. This article reviews information about the different answers of bone tissue to mechanical loading, obtained through the “Portal de Periódicos CAPES” database, using the descriptors “bone”, “exercise”, “mechanical loading”, “bone mass” and “osteogenic response”, and including full papers published in peer-reviewed journals from 1980 to 2008. The analyzed studies showed that: (1) the bone answers better to dynamic stimuli compared to static stimuli; (2) the bone response is better at higher loading rates; and (3) the bone response saturates quickly, and the insertion of rest intervals between the load applications could be a beneficial strategy. Knowing and using this information, beyond assuring that the exercise routines will provide a sufficient stimulus to maintain subject’s bone mineral density in a healthy level, could be very helpful to prevent mechanisms of musculoskeletal injuries.