them bones

Hi this is my first time posting on this site. Recently diagnosed with Osteopenia. I have had tendonitis in shoulder and now have hip pain. Mri last May showed inflammation in hip area which hasnt subsided. I have been having physio and traction for the past few months. I have had pelvic radiation for Ovarian Cancer about four years prior to pain. I am wondering if this is adding to my problems. I have started Fosovance which I believe I can only remain on for two years, I do the exercises the physio has given me and sometimes the pain disappears but returns if I overdo walking etc. I am told I could also have a trapped nerve in the hip. I take Naproxen for pain relief. Any tips would be helpful thank you

[Nancybib]

Hi Suzuki. My sister was dx with osteopenia. I'm going to reach out to her to see if she can provide you with any helpful hints!!!!! 😉😉

[Hidden in reply to Nancybib]

Thank you I appreciate it, I am having a good day today in spite of the cold weather,

[HeronNS]

If you only have osteopenia, or low bone mass, not osteoporosis, you should not even have been offered a bone medication. You need to make sure you have optimum nutrition so your bones have everything they need to maintain and improve themselves, and that you are doing appropriate exercise.

Nutrition you need includes, of course some supplements like calcium, vitamin D3, vitamin K2 (not K1, but K2), magnesium, and a few other things possible, although you can get most of what you need from food. Also avoid things which can be hard on your bones, like too much animal protein or sugary foods like soda pop.

Exercise should be weightbearing, the simplest being walking. If you have physical disabilities a physiotherapist can help work out a plan for you. Nordic walking and tai chi are good.

Falling is the greatest fracture risk so improving muscle strength and sense of balance is of utmost importance.

[Hidden in reply to HeronNS]

Thank you, I presently do green juicing, flaxseed and I do eat the right things. I have started on the yogurts as advised as well. I walk as well. Yes I do fear falling in the frost and snow so tend to keep inside if this occurs which is usually rare enough.

[HeronNS in reply to Hidden]

Our local hospital offers (a couple of times a year) an information session for people with osteoporosis diagnosis, or risk of becoming osteoporotic. I went to this and one of the more informative presentations was by the physiotherapist who talked about really simple ways to protect the spine. Like instead of bending forward to pick something up from low down, bend your legs as though you are going to sit down. I find this helpful for such actions as feeding the cats, for example. She also had suggestions for avoiding putting stress on the back, like placing groceries on a chair, not the floor or countertop. I've done back exercises for many years as I have osteoarthritis in my spine and this has strengthened the muscles which support the spine. Because I had, unbeknownst to myself, developed "bad tone" in those muscles my current physiotherapist has given me dry needling, which works by resetting the electrical signals in the muscles using needles like acupuncture needles. She said sometimes vulnerable people can have such spasmed muscles in their backs it can cause spinal compression fractures!

Some people use Nordic walking poles because they help keep their balance. I use mine because they strengthen my upper body and improve my posture.

[Bkin]

Weight bearing exercises and resistance training are important.

If you can access a Curves gym you may find that a great help. I have been going to the gym for a number of years I did 3 years at the curves gym which I found very helpful. I found whilst continuing with gym hip and back pain is rare now where as before it would be something that happened often even before diagnosis of osteoporosis. The machine at curves I found particularly helpful for hip pain was the resistance kick back while standing on one leg, you lean onto a pad and have two handles to hold. The idea is to do same amount of kick backs on each leg.

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But do check with your doctor if you are going to start a new exercise programme.

I would ask your doctor for a vitamin D deficiency test and since you have a diagnosis other blood test should / would also have been carried out, full blood count etc.

As well as the gym I also do qigong similar to taichi

The diet needs to be balance in nutrients, the eatwell plate is the guideline in UK I am sure there is something similar in the country you reside.

Uk pdf document eatwell plate:

gov.uk/government/uploads/s...

you may also want to check out NOS resources page:

nos.org.uk/resource-centre/

If you are in the UK the NOS link above, top of page gives you details of the helpline number for further advice and support.

A bowen or emmett therapist may well be a help you with pain relief, the therapist should take details of your full medical history before treating you and advising if they can help.

For trapped nerve usually anti inflammatories are prescribed but long term these are not helpful to bone health.

Hope you find some of the information helpful.

Best wishes

[Hidden]

Yes I am loathe to take painkillers as there are lots of side effects. Thanks for your reply I appreciate your information.