Exercise to help osteoporosis ( no running)?

[lawdog]

what exercises do you do? I have some walking issues so would like some help with knowing other weight-bearing exercises.

Many thanks. Live in warm climate so outside exercise ok.

[Stayfit1]

Hi, Weight bearing exercises are great with a weight you can tolerate. Balance exercises are also good to incorporate.

[FearFracture in reply to Stayfit1]

Last yr, before joining a gym, I ask 2 doctors what would be “safe” because they always say talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise program and I didn’t want to do more harm than good. Neither of the doctors I asked had any advice.

I joined a gym last January and having been going every other day or at least 3 times a week. I started slowly and have been increasing weights and, on the leg press, I’m now up to doing 4 sets of 10 reps at 210lbs (more than dbl my body weight) and 1 set of 10 at 240lbs.

Given my low bone density and the fact that my doctors couldn’t give me any advice on what was safe to do, I often joke that I guess I’ll just keep slowly increasing my weight loads and I’ll know that I’ve over done it when something snaps—yikes—of course, I hope this doesn’t happen.

Today, I decided to search for bone strength or how much weight does it take to break a bone and I found some pretty interesting information.

ezinearticles.com/?How-Much...

The article states, “Probably one of the best ways which you can protect your bones is to know just how much force they are capable of handling before they reach their breaking point. Your bones are really strong. In fact sometimes they are even considered as stronger than steel. But in principle, if you divide your bones by cubic inch sizes each can handle the weight of any object equivalent to 19,000 lbs or approximately 8,626 kilos.”

and

“In some studies, it was found out that bones can handle about 3,300 Newton of force if thrown into a rib and up to 4,000 Newton if released onto the femur. The ribs can take a smaller amount of force because they are relatively thinner than the femur.But these are only estimates of the force that can subject you to a fracture. It does not mean that these calculations are the least amount of force that your bones can handle. In fact, they are simply estimates in between because it still depends on the density and strength of your bones. Of course, your bones can handle less than 3,300 Newton of force if they are weaker and with lesser density. Therefore, you have to check first the strength of your bones to prevent overexertion and possible fractures.”

19,000 lbs!!! I’m not trying to lift 19,000, and even with my low bone density, after reading that article, I feel more confident that as long as I continue to slowly increase the weight, I will probably be fine.

[lawdog in reply to FearFracture]

Thank you for such an interesting personal journey and with Newton as a companion! 🤗❤️

[favoritepink]

I do weight bearing exercises and balance exercises. I learned a lot of exercise that are safe from Bob and Brad on YouTube who are Physical Therapists. Here is a link to one of their videos youtube.com/watch?v=gv_0UT_...(Not working as expected?). I also follow Margaret Martin who provided a lot of exercises for people that have Osteoporosis. youtube.com/@margaretmartinpt

[FearFracture in reply to favoritepink]

I ❤️ Bob and Brad, the two most famous physical therapists on the internet.

[noRx4me in reply to FearFracture]

lol, in their opinion of course 😂

I love those guys. They always have a great presentation and leave me smiling 😁

[FearFracture]

I go to a gym every other day or at least 3 times a week and use several weight machines. Note, I’m 54 and I don’t have any fragility fractures.

I recently reached out to The Bone Clinic in Australia—you should look up their website. I immediately got an email back and they now have an online program. Here’s part of what their reply email said, “Onero Online is a strength, mobility and falls prevention program with an element of safe bone loading - designed to be safe when undertaken unsupervised. Onero Online is intentionally a lower intensity program than Onero and therefore does not target bone as heavily as Onero but is likely to prevent osteoporotic fracture by preventing falls. It's not a perfect solution and may be a little too easy for some people, but it's definitely better than nothing. It is a 2-year low intensity program with 8 different levels progressively delivered that is safe to do unsupervised.  It is very inexpensive - AUD$5/wk and has no joining or cancellation fee so you can try it and not be out of pocket much if it isn't for you. Most people find it very helpful. It would be in addition to an individualised program we create for you via the telehealth consultations. You can learn more about this program here: onero.online/ “

You might want to go to onero.online/ and check out their program. I haven’t join yet beacause I go to a gym and think the program might be a easy for me but I might join at some point.

[yogalibrarian]

Check out Too Fit to Fracture (Osteoporosis Canada).

bonefit.ca/resources/tftf/

[lawdog in reply to yogalibrarian]

Thanks and very happy to see your reply as some time has passed with me away. I remember reading your posts and knowledgeable replies. But Canadian info? Certain US can trust it? That was the poor standard joke. When I lived in Canada years ago, same joke about the US. 😂😱🤔



[Mahler02]

I LOVE nordic walking, it is very easy on hips and knees but is a good workout for upper body!

[yogalibrarian]

Harvard Medical School publishes a white paper on Exercises for Bone Strength. health.harvard.edu/promotio...

These are exercises for people WITHOUT osteoporosis or osteopenia who have never fractured. They are designed to help healthy people prevent osteoporosis.

If you have EVER had a DXA in the osteoporosis or osteopenia range, had a fracture, have a high fracture risk (FRAX), consult your healthcare professional or a physical therapist or a bone-health certified exercise instructor before attempting them.

This doesn't mean that you can't do these exercises. It does mean that you need guidance to do them safely.

P.S. More people fracture in the osteopenia and normal bone density range than in the osteoporosis range. (From the NORA Study.)

[Hidden in reply to yogalibrarian]

I have not found a provider yet who can give any guidance to someone like me who had multiple fragility fractures (of pelvis/sacrum) at a relatively young age - from doing home PT exercises with resistance bands. Walking is what they all say. I wish there were PTs specialized in osteoporosis patients at high risk so we could learn what we can safely do, what to avoid and how to get stronger without fracturing again.

[Pretsini]

Rowing. Works more muscle groups and bones than walking or running, and considered excellent aerobically, too.