Sport-thieme weighted vest

[Labradog]

I have just taken delivery of the above with no instructions for use included. I am 72, active and with ostopenia in my left hip. I am 46 kg, 5'4". Can anyone please give me some guidance as to how to sensibly begin to use the vest - ie how many weights to use initially, where to place them and for how long each day to wear. I would be most grateful for any help.

[HeronNS]

Please give us more information. I have a Hypervest, originally designed for body builders but taken over by the bone builders. The weights are very small ingots of a couple of ounces each. You start with a weight which is comfortable, wear it for a while, maybe for an hour or so, build up the length of time over a couple of weeks or as long as you need, go for walks wearing it, etc. Then add a couple of ingots and so on, slowly increasing the weight.. If you have had vertebral fractures you can still use this vest, but need to start very cautiously. The idea isn't how much you carry, but the fact that by carrying a bit of extra weight you stimulate the bones to build more bone and become stronger.

hyperwear.com/blog/weighted...

[Walkingdogs in reply to HeronNS]

I was considering getting a weighted vest to try and help my posture. Having had vertebral fractures last year my posture isn’t great. Do you think it would be any good for this? My back gets very tired when I have to stand for a while and I thought maybe a weighted vest might help.

[HeronNS in reply to Walkingdogs]

I think posture would be helped more by learning to use Nordic walking poles. I imagine the weighted vest would not help with that. It's working on your actual bones, not really the muscles. A good physiotherapist could give some advice about strengthening muscles which support the spine, and using the walking poles also increases upper body strength. If you have the vertebral fractures you should probably be under the care of someone like a physiotherapist anyway in order to learn how to use a weighted vest so it helps you. Start with very small weights and take your time building up. Good luck!

[Walkingdogs in reply to HeronNS]

Ty for the reply. The physiotherapist gave me some core exercises, which I do everyday. I can walk for 50 mins at a good pace. It’s standing that’s my problem, and the posture. I’d love to be able to stay straight comfortably. The osteoporosis in my spine is -4 so I suppose I should think myself lucky that I can straighten up at all.

[HeronNS in reply to Walkingdogs]

I definitely recommend the poles. An older woman of my acquaintance is bent double but with poles in her hands she stands straight! If you do take it up, don't walk the 50 minutes with them, you'll be exhausted and hurt! Our instructor suggested about fifteen minutes a day, every second day or three times a week, and gradually increase the time. Some places you can get free classes - they want to sell you the poles! That's how I learned. I thought I'd feel like a fool, but in fact I quite enjoy using them and more and more people are.

[Walkingdogs in reply to HeronNS]

I rarely see anyone with them, and I’d be self conscious, but I might give them a go if it would help my posture. I’m not very bent just slightly. Thanks for the advice. You’re a font of knowledge about op, and it’s very helpful. 🙂

[HeronNS in reply to Walkingdogs]

I felt exactly like you, and I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed it. People who notice are mostly curious, and want to know more about them. There is the occasional man (always a man) who thinks he's being a great wag when he asks you if you forgot your skis! They are also used by people with balance problems. So, not just a sport. Our instructor says in Scandinavia if you are out walking without poles people ask you where they are because everyone uses them! I think he was exaggerating....

[Walkingdogs in reply to HeronNS]

I think too, it depends where you live. If you’re seen with anything out of the ordinary here, people think it’s a right laugh.

[HeronNS in reply to Walkingdogs]

Figure out what's the time of day/evening when you'll be least likely to be seen by people who matter to you, and go out then. If you are anything like me you'll find you enjoy it enough you won't care what others say after all. Or find a group, there may be one, or enough people around to form one. In the end I didn't need a group but there are Nordic Poles walking groups where I live. They go together to different places,but to me it seems counter intuitive to drive somewhere for a walk, unless its a rare and special expedition.

[Debs4 in reply to Walkingdogs]

I was speaking to a physiotherapist who told me that using a back pack would be good for posture as it helps to pull your shoulders back and balanced the weight more easily which is good for posture overall. I have recently sustained my third spinal fracture but once given the ok am thinking of starting to use one for bits of shopping. Plan to buy a weighted vest but need to wait a bit as the best type to buy which seems to be the hyper vest is a bit expensive at the moment for me.

[vintageone in reply to Debs4]

It is important to have weights equally balanced, and a back pack is rather impractical. The weights lying across the upper back and upper chest provide stability and help with the posture. The OTvest looks normal and the weights are placed according to the teachings of British neurologist and physiotherapist Karla and Berta Bobath---otvest.com

[Met00]

I was advised to add weights at the bottom of the vest and make sure the vest is close fitting. Heron gives good advice about building up gradually.

[Labradog in reply to Met00]

Many thanks for that. Can you remember what sort of weight you started with?

[Met00 in reply to Labradog]

Sorry, no I can't, but I've had a break from using it and have reduced back to just over 2lbs, ready to start again. I have the same vest as Heron, so you can add a couple of ounces at a time.

[Met00 in reply to Met00]

Just realised what I wrote sounded dangerous. Hopefully nobody thought I'd fractured (had a break) from using it! I meant I'd stopped using it for a while

[HeronNS in reply to Labradog]

When I started I had been used to carrying a backpack and knew I was comfortable with five pounds so I was able to start with that. Think about what you can comfortably carry right now, and don't try to carry any more than that. People with fractures are recommended to start with as little as a few ounces. If you are reasonably fit you can start with more, as I did. As Met00 implies, you work up to a level which is as much as you feel comfortable carrying, then take a break. I've found I can actually add a couple of ingots after a break because in the intervening time (maybe a few months even) my bones have been responding to the earlier stimulation and getting stronger. Probably if I waited a bit longer it would be wiser to start at a lower level again, but so far I haven't got up to my goal of 10 lb (keep forgetting to wear it) so still on the upward climb! It's a slow process, but the regular new challenges to your bones are what stimulate the osteoblasts to work.

I distribute the weights evenly throughout the vest, more at the bottom, and it's nearly full now, that will be 10 pounds!

[vintageone in reply to Labradog]

otvest.com weights are important where they are placed! The OTvest weight placement is based on the neurodevelopment treatment (NDT) taught by the world famous British neurologist and physiotherapist--Karl and Berta Bobath--who stressed the importantance of shoulder-girdle stabilization --or weights across the upper chest and upper back. And the OTvest looks normal and can be worn anytime, anywhere.

[vintageone in reply to Labradog]

otvest.com/cerebellar-ataxia/ A weighted vest that looks normal, and the weights importantly lie directly on the wearer, not hanging supported by the garment. Less weight is needed when the weights are supported by the wearer--across the upper chest and upper back. This weight placement is based upon the teachings of world famous developers of NeuroDevelopmentTreatment (used by occupational and physical therapists across the world) British neurologist and physiotherapists Karl and Berta Bobath. They taught the importance of stabilizing the shoulder-girdle for movement disorders--and the OTvest weight placement does this, unlike other weighted vests.