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For the PT's out there.. the book Posture Alignment by Paul D'Arezzo.... are the exercises in this book safe for us? If so, they seem to be great for restoring correct posture, but I wanted to ask some of you all first!
Exercise Surgery Chronic pain Confusion Back pain Alli Fractures Physical therapy Osteopenia Constipation Pain Osteoporosis
Jille:
I am not familiar with the D'Arezzo book so will not comment on it at this time. Maybe later when I check it out online.
Posture has already been discussed earlier on these pages. I suggest you read what we have had to say on this important part of osteoporosis treatment and management.
Also -- please go to this subject on the NOF website. You will find this information available there-- and free. No need to buy a book.
Lucy Buckley PT aka Mother Goose
Dear Jile:
If you wanted to send me a copy of the book, I could take a look at it for you (and for the group.) I would ask that you pay the postage to and from and I could do a review on the book.
My entire program is on Postural Correction with the idea of getting better weight-bearing and muscle contraction forces going through the bones in a more anatomically correct manner, thereby strengthening the bones.
Check my website www.sarameekspt.com for more information. If you want to send me the book, please contact me through email on the website and I'll give you the address to which to send the book.
Sara ~ Thank you for being willing to look this book over. I have checked it out from the library so it's not mine. I am going to check out a couple of other ones from the library as well. Don't know if I will end up purchasing one or not.
Jill
Thank you Lucy for the recommendation to go to the website and also look at past posts. I have a hard time maneuvering this site so I'd not even tried to do a search, but I will figure it out I'm sure... thanks for the suggestion!
Jill
I do something called Egoscue Exercsies. This is a revolutionary breakthrough system for eliminating chronic pain without drugs, surgery or expensive physical therapy. It was developed by Pete Egoscue, a nationally renowned physiologist and sports injury consultant to wsome of today's top athlete, the goscue Method has an astounding 95% success rate. The key is a series of gentle exercises and carefully constructed stretches called E-cises. Check it out at Egoscue.com. They took photos of me front back, L and R side then developed a set of exercises to help with my particular problems. I do these religiously every night and usually change up the set every 2 months. They send me a video of the new set of exercises online each time I change which shows you exactly how to do the exercises. I have reduced pain by at least 60% to date. I can garden, snow ski, water ski, hike and bike due to this set of exercises.
MotherGoose, thanks for your post. However, I don't find the NOF site adequate all by itself, or even in combination with what has been posted here, though I find the input of Sara Meeks to be extemely helpful, as well as her generous and inquisitive attitude, eg, her offer to review a book for the group--wow, that is going the extra distance to help out. Thanks Sara.
I think it's wonderful that folks are exploring books and other sources of information that may be useful and then posting them her, as Jillie did. I do it all the time. Right now I'm researching the "Alexander Technique," but don't yet have a link on it I want to post. Anybody have a favorite site/link for the Alexander Technique?
Why is your atitude so restrictive? I like the idea of expanding conversations, not shutting them down, as this seems a good way to keep learning. There is a big wide world/body of knowledge so lets tap into it.
I have no intention of limiting myself to information on this board or to the NOF site.
zeta
Egoscue sounds interesting. I am wondering if you were regularly exercising before you started this regime? Is it possible that exercising in itself is what is reducing your pain?
Sharon
The Egoscue does sound VERY interesting. I would love to take part, but it is cost prohibitive for me right now. :-( I also want to look up the Alexander exercises. I have been doing some of the spinal exercises in this Posture Alignment book. They sure feel good. Some of them are just stretches, even as simple as laying flat on the floor with your legs up on a chair, so that your spine gets to lengthen itself.
Jill
I have been doing a Tues/Thursday hard core water Aquarobics for the past 20 years and added the Egoscue when I found out I had 3 bone spurs in my right hip and 4 severely ruptured discs in my back. I snow ski and water ski so wanted to keep up with this lifestyle henceforth the Egoscue. I also started a once a week workout one one of those vibrating machines at a spa and added a deep water workout with the barbell type devices which gives you a trememdous workout. I pay $50 and get a video sent to me via email on how specifically how to do the exercises - I change it up with a new set of exercises every 2-3 months. I take my own pictures and send them to my trainer (who moved to Canada) she then sees how I am doing with my alignment and tailers another set of exercises on how I am doing.
JilleWhite - what you are talking about with your legs up on a chair is actually one of the Egoscue exercises - it is called a Static Back - you lie on your back, with both legs bent at right angles on a chair or block. Rest your hands on your stomach or the floor, below shoulder level, with palms up. Let the back settle into the floor. Breathe from your diaphragm (that is, do stomach breathing). The abdominal muscles should rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale. Hold this position for 5 to 10 minutes. This will settle the hips to the floor and release the compensating muscles that are interfering with the gait-pattern of the foot and ankle. It creates a horizontal load between shoulder and pelvis, which contributes to thoracic extension by engaging the stabilizer and flexors of the hip. This position helps prevent compensation from occuring while performing other types of muscular work. Sometimes I get bored so lift 5 pound weights with each hand while laying in this position.
hofffazio ~ Did you have to pay something before you started getting the videos or has your cost always been $50 each time??? That's not bad! Jill
There are many ways to "bad" posture and, then again, many ways to "good" posture--some more involved than others. In my experience, posture is related to many things--the tendencies we inherit from our family, how we experience our growing years (exercise, activity, nutrition etc.,) lifestyle--are we sedentary or more active, accidents we've been in that change our alignment, illnesses we've had, emotional states (you can notice someone who's depressed or feels good,) not to mention belief systems we have. When we are developing in adolescence, do we hide our developing breasts, do adolescents who experience growth spurts "hunker down" so as to be with their peers on a height level? It's complicated.
Here's one rather simple idea for improving body alignment:
The therapists who have taken my training have begun to call my program "The Meeks Method" and it has, at its core, body alignment (posture.) The single, best "exercise" for better body alignment and relief of most back pain is what I call the Decompression Exercise.
At least once a day, lie down on your back on the flattest, firmest surface you can...this works best on the floor; however, if you are not safe getting to the floor, use your bed. Make sure head and arms are supported as much as necessary, but as little as possible.....the idea is to lengthen and relax the spine (this includes the neck.) Place your arms on the floor, palms up (to stretch out the tight muscles on the front of the chest and shoulders) with arms about 35-45 degrees out from the side of the body. Hips and knees are bent, hip distance apart with feet resting flat on the floor. Or legs up on a sofa in 90/90 position. Lie here 5-15 minutes--no TV, no reading, no lifting weights--and let your spine, body and mind relax. Practice some deep breathing is a good thing to do while lying there. At least once a day. 2 or 3 times a day won't hurt.
There is much more one can do for body alignment but this "exercise" is simple and do-able for most people. All one needs to do is.........do it.
Thanks Sara for your expert tips. When I had my first fracture last year the only way I could get comfortable in bed was in that position with my legs bent and the minute I would stretch out both legs the pain would come pouring back. I still shutter when I think about the fracture pain I witnessed for months and nothing showed up on xray so I still do not know where it was and my doc did not order scan. and no fractures showed on my bone density.
Dear Alli:
And your experience points out the importance of bending the hips and knees in this exercise. When your hips and knees are bent, the back can relax and re-align better. When the hips and knees are straight, there can be a pull on the vertebral bodies and a change in the spinal alignment. This, if you had a fracture, would pull on the fracture site and cause pain.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
When I started I was doing it in person and they took the photos I paid $100. Now that I am doing my own photos and doing it online the cost is much less. Send me your regular email address and I will send you some more information and share a set so you can actually see what a set looks like. My email address is hofffazio@comcast.net. I don't want to put a large amount of in-depth information on this site as alot of people who and are not authorities have many varied opinions as to what is the right thing to do for them & others but since you are the only one who voiced an interest I would be glad to share more info with you.
Check out this site for a some testimonials http://www.egoscue.com/about/testimonials.php
Thank you Sarah for the detailed info on the one exercise.. like you said.. the key is to do it!! I feel like, though, I'm finally narrowing down what will really help my posture and make me feel better & make my body function more properly... so surely that will be a motivating factor!!!
Jill
I am wondering if there are other additional exercises that I could do for my osteo, it is severe in the lower lumbar area and osteopenia in the hip. I have taken strontium as well as strong bones[ I ran out of strong bones so am taking ordinary calcium+D ] for 16 months, I had it diagnosed just before that and didn't want to take the fosomax that my doctor recommended.I am 63 years old. I have started doing the decompression exercise and would like a few other ones as well. Thankyou in advance
Hi edan you mentioned u were taking "Strong Bones" I think that is by New Roots which has MCHA phosphorus.... lysine.. glucosamine along with lots of other stuff. I was thinking of trying that before just wondering do u have any side effects.. bowels constipation etc .. you can fill me in thanks appreciate it. Did someone recommend this kind or did u find it on your own? I had an increase after taking strontium in a year.. they say you need a 10% overestimation because strontium is heavier than calcium but my next Dexa next Oct should tell the tale for sure. Vitamin K2(mk7) is supposed to be helpful too and biosil
Edan:
I have prepared a document on what I call The Re-Alignment Routine. This is a series of 5 exercises that are fairly simple to do but have a profound effect on body alignment. The intent is to improve the effect of weight-bearing forces and muscle contraction on the bones. Unfortunately, I cannot include an attachment on these replies.
Please send an email to me at sara@sarameekspt.com and I will send the document via reply email as an attachment. No charge and no strings attached.
These are not all one can do but they are a good place to start.
I am so grateful to you Sara,I will email you, thankyou again.
Ali, sorry for the delay, I do notice that taking the Strong Bones my bowels are definitely looser than before, and I tend to go quite a few times a day. But its not like its diareah. A herbalist that my daughter went to recommended it as well as the strontium and vit k2. I only saw him once and he said that his wife had been diagnosed with osteo and in a couple of years of taking these supplements as well as some weight bearing things she did, she could virtually do anything. That was his story anyway.
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