Spine density exercises

[poddysss]

Spine exercise does anyone know of any exercises that can promote and restore spine density?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I don;t know if this is too technical for you but it is a good assessment of the available evidence:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

which says "The most effective intervention for BMD at the spine has been suggested to be the multicomponent training exercise programme. "

and this

academic.oup.com/biomedgero...

is more specific to spine and says "The fact that the vast majority of studies included in our meta-analysis were published in refereed journal articles may have led to an overestimate of the benefits of exercise on BMD at the lumbar spine because there is a tendency for authors to submit, and editors to publish, studies that yield statistically significant and positive results, i.e., publication bias." suggesting they are not convinced!

And this

betterbones.com/exercise/ho...

is an article aimed at non-scientists from a reliable source.

Have you got a deascan result that shows the current state of your spine? That will have a great bearing on what sort of exercise you can do - if you have low spinal BMD there are certain actions you should avoid and the assistance of a physiotherapist to compile a set of exercises would be advisable.

[HeronNS]

I asked my physiotherapist about the exercise described in the article (lying on your stomach and lifting a weighted backpack) and she actually advised me against it, this is in relation to my own particular circumstance, where I have a lot of osteoarthritis in my spine and also at the time (four years ago) rather active PMR. Check with your medical advisor, preferably a knowledgeable physiotherapist. If you're given the all clear, go for it - and let us know how it goes for you!

However, I understand that impact also strengthens the spine, this is achieved through walking, especially walking downstairs (walking back up is good for the heart!), doing heel drops, rebounding (again, check that it's right for you), and you can wear a weighted walking vest. In this case you would never work up to something like 50 pounds as described in the prone exercise. Slowly and constantly increasing the weight carried is what stimulates new bone to form, not the total amount of weight carried. At a certain point you have to stop for a while, then can start again at a lower weight and work up again.

[Blearyeyed]

Gentle stretching exercises built up slowly over weeks that help to lengthen the spine movement are some of the best daily activities you can do .

They can be done on a bed or in a chair .

Some useful Morning Exercises are:

Lying on your stomach and then slowly lifting yourself into your elbows then gently leaning your head back ( not pushing it to a feeling of Pain) resting there for a few moments then very slowly moving back through the stages to a lying position.

Lying flat on the stomach then holding your arms out in front of you and just laying still in that position for a few minutes ( this helps Sciatica too) then relaxing and slowly bringing your arms down to the sides , turning on your side and then moving knees into a foetal position before you sit up . The slow recovery prevents the snap back and pain from exercises and helps prevent over extension injuries.

Lying on your back with a towel roll under the base of the spine draw your legs up together and hold in place with your arms your knees at stomach or chest level , stay in this position for 30 secs to start up to 1/ 2 mins ( after weeks of build up) then again slowly go back to lying position . Then put your arms above your head ( at first just place them behind your head ) and gently point your toes , then point them to the ceiling . Start with just one or two repeats , only move on when you feel like another. Again slowly bring your arms back down to your sides .

These are all useful spine strengthening exercises that can also relieve Spine and Nerve pain and Stiffness in the morning.

Walking , Swimming , Aquafit and Pilates all help but start small and work your way up . Never try a full Class straight away and take breaks during a class and cool down well with a long warm shower. Always have lots of fluids before , during and after exercise to reduce any inflammation or the effects of dehydration on your Pain.

Train yourself to do a few little exercises each day that your Fatigue level can cope with , don't just do a full set of exercises because you think you should. If you do , you make yourself feel worse the next day and consistent light activity is better for Physical Recovery than " Going for It" then doing nothing for days afterwards because you are in Pain.

Getting aware of your posture is vital to strengthening your spine and reducing Pain.

You need to stand , sit or do activities with a straight but not tensed back. Try not to sit slumped forward . If you are conscious that you have begun to sit hunched or your shoulders are bent forward gently sit back up and roll your shoulders back then relax in that position. Sometimes while you back isn't strong to keep your back straight , and get used to the muscle working to do that , you need to sit more regularly on a chair with a good back and maintain a relaxed position , using cushions to help you do that comfortably.

[S4ndy]

Firstly speak to a physiotherapist to get the best advice for you. I am an experienced qualified exercise teacher but as I don't know your history or medical details I can only advise in a general way not with specific exercises.

You say you want "spine strengthening" exercise due to low bone density. So I am assuming you have had a Dexa scan that has shown osteoporotic changes.

Exercise such as Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Qui Gong and swimming will all help with muscular strength and flexibility. By strengthening your core muscles this will in turn help support your spine.

Weight bearing exercise such as walking and Nordic walking will stimulate the production of osteoblasts in the bone marrow of the long bones of the body. These are new bone cells which replace our skeleton many times over our lifetimes.

Aim for low impact exercise. No high impact as this can accelerate deterioration and even cause micro fractures of weakened bones. I think of an osteoporotic bone as like a honeycomb (a crunchie bar is a good analogy), if you repeated slam it against a countertop it will disintegrate.

For cardiac exercise things like swimming, Nordic walking and cycling are good and in the case of swimming will help strengthen your muscles too.

Keeping your posture right is the most important thing you can do. This is where I have had to concentrate my own efforts. I use walking poles, walking stick or rollator depending on how I feel and concentrate on keeping my gait as normal as possible. I sit in a reclining chair at home which supports my back and doesn't let me slouch.

Start off slowly and build up gradually with any exercise program you start.

Hope this info helps you decide what you might want to try.

[poddysss in reply to S4ndy]

Finally reply to you. And thank you.

I am now seeing a physio and starting to feel better and stronger. Start alendronates in January and hope for the best, thanks again

[poddysss]

Thanks everyone, I guess I was asking for definitive information as I have been told I’m in imminent danger of fractures AND maybe stupidly I’ve been avoiding medication BUT I’ve also been told that there are no exercises proven to improve spinal bone density . I’m clutching at straws and must now choose my medication

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to poddysss]

There aren't really - but neither do the medications work specifically reliably. You DO need to discuss things with a professional to avoid the risk factors for spinal and hip fractures.

[poddysss]

Thank you