Improve spine t-score? have you managed it?

[Gloria21]

Has anyone increased their spine t-score through exercise? My mum improved her hip t- score (-1.1) back upto 0. But her spine has drifted down to -3.5. which exercises are best for the spine? I'm beginning to think you can't improve spine BMD through exercise. Thanks.

[HeronNS]

I did improve all but one of my spine readings, and that one remained the same, the first year after my diagnosis of bone thinning. The spine readings did not improve as markedly as the hip, but they did improve. I wore a weighted walking vest, and also took up Nordic walking and tai chi, both of which are thought to help both with balance and with improving bone density. Sorry, it's a bit awkward to find the reports (hidden in "old desktop" folder in my computer) so I can't give numbers. And, yes, the two readings, done a year apart, were done on the same machine.

[Gloria21 in reply to HeronNS]

Thanks for your feedback and congratulations on successfully increasing spine BMD. She has been going to the gym but failed to see an increase. I think you have to work really hard to see an increase. Do you have any other tips? Have you cut out refined sugar and coffee from your diet? thanks

[Debbietilbee in reply to Gloria21]

That's brilliant that your mum has improved her hip score. Can I ask what exercises she has done to improve her score please?

[HeronNS in reply to Gloria21]

I'm a tea drinker, coffee is an occasional treat for me. Because I have to take prednisone for polymyalgia rheumatica I'd already cut out nearly all refined carbs, including sugar, anyway. I eat a lot of leafy greens. In fact last year I discovered I was never craving carbs like bread or even sweets like chocolate, but I was craving leafy greens! You want to eat what you gut microbiome is demanding, so I think over time a very healthy diet becomes easier because you no longer want things with empty calories, for example.

I don't go to the gym. Your body is triggered to create more bone by weight bearing and I suspect that wearing a weighted vest for several hours a day would be more beneficial than a few minutes of weight lifting. You gradually add small weights over weeks and months, constantly increasing the demand on the spine, so you can start with just a few ounces and work up to a number of pounds. I don't know the mechanics, but wouldn't weight lifting mostly be encouraging muscle growth in the arms and, useful and important enough, strengthening core muscles, rather than stronger vertebrae? This is just a question to ponder, perhaps you know the answer?

I do take a Vitamin K2 supplement