I was diagnosed 2 yrs ago. Tried all the pills with no success(side effects). My numbers in hips are osteopenia but my spine is osteoporosis (-3.3). Yesterday I had Reclast infusion. So far no side effects. My concern is what I've been reading about high impact exercise not being advisable with osteoporosis. Any thoughts?
I have severe Osteo and am taking Actenol. I jog and do anything I want. I am very physical. My doctor told me to not lift anything over 30 pounds, I do anyway. I dont' believe in acting like I am crippled because they tell me that I cannot do it. I think we are all different. If you are uncomfortable then I would talk to your Dr. about it. I still feel the more active you are the better. I will always believe that! Good luck to you !
Thanks, Floridagal. I've been running (well jogging now) for almost 30 years. I did talk to the RN who did my Reclast infusion and she said that because I wasn't taking it up as something new that it was fine to continue. Thank goodness! I agree the more active the better off you are. You know the old saying, "Use it or lose it!"
I agree use it or lose it! I also bike and roller blade. I look better then anyone else I have met that is my age. I have also moved 5 times in the last 5 yrs. I have lifted everything you can imagine. I still say live normal unless you have had fractures. My Dr. told me that when you excersise especially with weights it wakes the bone up. I jog holding weights and also with weights around my ankles. I say have fun and enjoy life. If you are active you cannot just stop! It will kill you ! We active people are used to physical activity, I am not giving that up! Good luck to you !!
Hi Floridagal,
I feel the same as you. I took Fosamax for 5 years and decided to stop. I'm curious as to what is considered "severe osteo". Would you mind sharing your numbers with me?
Thanks,
Helene
Hi Helene
No I dont' mind at all
ap spine is -3.8
neck -3.8
hip -3.5
Thanks. I'm all -2.5 and lift quite heavy as well. I did stop roller blading but mostly because I'm not very good at it! Actually my head is in more pain then any of my body parts. I also am 58 trying to get past the hysteria.
Hi Floridagal, may I ask if the dexa scores are from your first dexa? Or have you had prior dexa's? Thanks. Sandi
Hi sdivas,
They are my most recent. I only had one other test and I do not have the results from that one. It was done about 4 yrs ago. I really dont' care about the readings . I feel great and that is all I care about!
HSB
lol HSB . I am not sure how good I am either. I spend a lot of time on the ground. There is a group of us that meet in the mornings and we have a blast. We all leave black and blue but oh well! I know one thing. I do not feel or act my age and that is all I care about!
Floridagal, Do you do any kind of stretching program? Like yoga or Pilates? Have you used the DVD you gave the link to? I'm 56 and I don't know anyone with osteo, (in my area, Montana) my age and who is as active as I am. Great to get everyone's feedback.
Hi Jogger,
I have been involved in dance and gymnastics my whole life. I only follow stretching warm up that I have always used. I know that a few people have mentioned dvd's you can get. I know that most if not all yoga exercise is supposed to be very good. I watch those on TV. If you have cable or satelite they usually run yoga classes. I am not sure that I fall into the normal category as far as what I do. I find any kind very good mentally as well as physical.
Hi sdiva,
Well since I am taking a drug for Osteoporosis and have it , I am curious as to how others are treated and how they treat themselves. There seems to be so many opinions on this subject. Why wouldn't I be interested in it? I also like others to see that you can live normally with this.
Thanks, Floridagal. I do some stretching after jogging but not much. I think I'll try the Bonewise dvd. If nothing else I'll get the exercise stretching band! I have a yoga and a pilates dvd but I don't think I'm doing things correctly and we don't any classes locally.
Hi Jogger,
Don't you do a warm up with stretching before you jog? If you dont' you need to , not because of Osteo but because you can get hurt if you do not do a warm up before you start to jog? Just a warning. I will think of you as I run tomorrow. I was going to this evening but it is storming.
I'd like to add something here along the line of doing anything you want and just keeping on doing it with apparently no thoughts given to the possible consequences of this type of approach to the condition of osteoporosis.
I fully believe that people should live the lives they want and have fun doing so. I ao fully believe that I want people to live those lives free of the fear of falls and fractures that can change one's lifestyle in an intand and for a lifetime.
I speak as a long-time clinician who has been focusing on the management of bone health exclusively for the past 25 years and, although I don't have all the answers, nor would I pretend to, I also have osteoporosis and have seen first-hand the devastating changes that can take place in a person's life when they continue to do what they want with disregard for any safety.
There are always people who can continue to do what they want--smoke, drink, do dangerous occupations, etc. including exercising when, where and how they want--who will escape the consequences that can befall so many. With osteoporosis, up to 80% of spine fractures are silent--that is, one continues to bend, twist, carry ankle weights etc and doesn't "feel" anything--and then one day they get out of bed and experience the "vertebral fracture cascade," losing several inches of body height just getting out of bed. Floridagal may be lucky and not have this happen to her; however, she would definitely be beating the statistics. Giving advice to others, when you don't have the background to do so, is, in my humble opinion, irresponsible.
Regarding jogging in particular. There is such a thing as a ground-reaction force. That is, when the foot hits the ground, there is an equal and opposite force transmitted up through the body. The faster you walk/run/jog etc, the greater the force, up to 7X body weight. I've had patients with stress fractures of the metatarsals, ankle, tibia, fibula, femur and pelvis which have come from doing "too much too soon." Recovery can be slow and dramatically interferes with lifestyle. If one has been jogging for many years, I would say, continue but I would also say have someone check your body alignment as you do so to make sure you are getting the most out of this activity. And don't carry ankle weights or hand weights more than 1lb. Carrying weights has been shown to cause joint injury. Gymnasts who train with with or without weights are known for hypermobile, unstable joint structure which can get worse with age.
Enjoy your life but become educated so you can continue to live a full life for your entire life. Seek out knowledgeable medical professionals who know the anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology of movement before you jump on the bandwagon and do anything you want to for whatever reason you decide to do so.
Sara,
Let me also add that people like myself have probably had Osteoporosis for yrs as my Dr. claims. I have had no breaks or anything. I can probably run any one on my block that is younger then I am. You cannot convince me that it is bad for me. I dont' buy it.
Floridagal:
I'm not trying to convince you of anything and I apologize if you interpreted it that way. We all make our own choices -- including all the people on this discussion group.
I'm not sure of your background in the health sciences but it seems you are giving "advice" and comments from a personal perspective and this could be taken by someone who shouldn't. You are pretty set in what you like to do and that is fine. Unless you have some expertise in therapy or the medical field, I wish you wouldn't try to convince others to follow your path, especially in a public forum. That's all.
If you'd care to carry this any further with me, please contact me privately at sara@sarameekspt.com and I'd be happy to "converse" via email.
Sara,
No problem, I am not telling anyone anything. I always suggest that everyone talk to their Dr. and make their own decisions. I am telling what I do and how I feel and how it has affected my life. I am not a health professional, but I do feel as a dancer and gymnast that we get to know our bodies very well. I find that the Dr.'s do not inform their patients of much. The reason is that they dont' know in most cases. PT's make a living off treating people. I have seen many pt's over the yrs and in each case which was for different reasons they where all wrong and made me worse. Sometimes medical professionals don't know everything. I have nothing to hide as far as posting. Thanks for offering anyway.
Just wanted to add that I spoke with my Dr. about continuing to jog (been at it for about 28 years now). She said it was fine for me to continue. If it was something I was just taking up now to help with the osteoporosis, she would advise something less high impact. I'm so glad I've found this site. It's great to hear what everyone is doing and to know I'm not alone out here in Montana.
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