Safe Exercises

whidbey
  • By whidbey · October 30, 2012 at 3:58 pm · 21 replies
  • In Exercise and physical therapy
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I am in need of safe exercises. For years I have been doing crunches and other exercises I have come to find out are not safe for me, since I have osteoporosis.

Can any one give me ideas as to what exercises will help me to stay in shape without the dangers associated with the traditional ones for people without osteoporosis?

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21 replies   

Sandi-sdivas

whidbey
We don't want to forward flex: no rounding of the spine and no fast twists.
No touching toes, no bending over from the waist ... instead we should hinge hip, no crunches, no lifting our heads for ab work.
You may be interested in the recent discussion post about the new dvd I am using "Susie Hathaway's Safe Strength Training for Osteoporosis Prevention" which covers all aspects of exercise with safer movement.
This is a new dvd, so your library will not have in their system, but you may want to also check at your library for the following dvds/books:
Pilates Exercises for Osteoporosis Building Better Bones with Sherri Betz, PT
Pilates for Buff Bones with Rebekah Rotstein
Pilates for Healthy Bodies with Karena Thek Lineback
Books:
Walk Tall - Sara Meeks
The Osteoporosis Exercise Book by Sherri Betz PT
Osteopilates - Karena Thek Lineback
Yoga for Osteoporosis - Loren Fishman MD
Yoga for Better Bones - Margaret Martin PT
Please check with your doctor before using any dvds or book exercises. And ask your library to consider purchasing some books/dvds on safer exercise for osteoporosis so anyone in your area can have the opportunity to learn safer movement.
Hope this helps.
Sandi

al44

Whidbey--have you injured yourself doing the "unsafe" exercises?

whidbey
  • By whidbey
  • Reply 3502575 · In reply to 3502475 by Sandi-sdivas
  • October 30, 2012 at 6:31 pm
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Thank you Sandi!

I will look into all of these options you sent and since I have an appointment coming up with my Doctor I will pass them on to her as well.

Your suggestion about the library was spot on too!

Thanks again.

whidbey
  • By whidbey
  • Reply 3502586 · In reply to 3502533 by al44
  • October 30, 2012 at 6:34 pm
  • Report post

No I have not injured myself yet, but don't want to either!

Just recently I read about someone that broke a bone in her back doing crunches and felt so fortunate I missed the bullet.

I was doing all the wrong exercises for years and didn't know it. The only thing I was doing right was walking.

al44

Just to let you know--some of us continue to follow a regular exercise program and thrive. OP patients are not all the same. Some fracture easily, while others do things like fall off bikes unscathed. Speaking for myself--I've been working out at the local Y for almost six years, taking regular strengthening, yoga, and zumba classes, plus getting on the treadmill for a 5k run every week. I haven't spent a dime on specialized training and haven't broken a bone.

Tamhart

This is what confuses me with this whole "osteoporosis thing". Why do some of us who have similar bone density scores fracture and others don't? There must be more than just a T score involved! What really upsets me is the thought of fracturing from a simple act of bending down or walking etc. That, I can't control.
I swear I wouldn't even consider the meds if it weren't for that. I am not a risk taker and am very careful, so for now falling is not an issue. I wish there was a way to identify those of us who will fracutre very easily and those who actually need some kind of trauma! It just seems ridiculous to take these meds when you don't even know if you will fracture! I go to my Dr. this week for the first time. So we will see what he suggests!

worldwide

I have recently been diagnosed with OP at age 55 and like most people was shocked and frightened. I've been doing lots of reading and thinking - after doing some research it appears that I was borderline OP 5 years ago when I had my first bone density test done. Unfortunately the results were misread by the clinic and the verdict of "normal" was passed along to me by my doctor. For the last five years I have done just about every exercise expressly forbidden to those of us with OP including thousands of crunches sit ups, back bends and every yoga position imaginable! As far as I know, I have had no fractures. I am bordering normal - osteopenia in the hip and femur but definite OP in the spine -3.2. I am nervous to keep working out the way I am and yet feel that my bones seem to be able to "take it" - am I just putting my head in the sand or am I ok to keep with my routine? I think my main problem is that while eating a very healthy diet, I'm not eating enough. I am seeing a great nutritionist who has me on most of the supplements I read about here and is pushing me to eat more. I want to avoid drugs, eat healthy and get even stronger but don't want to encourage fractures with my exercise program. Any advice?? I can't believe how helpful this forum has been in the short time I've been reading it!

Sandi-sdivas

al44
There are many people with osteoporosis/osteopenia that continue with their exercise without changes. But it's important for people with bone loss to be aware of the strain that can be placed on the spine with forward flexion (rounding of the spine). It is up to each of us, once we are aware whether we choose to continue with our activities and exercises or to make some small changes in order to support the spine. I was diagnosed at age 50 with osteoporosis in both hips and spine. I take Pilates Reformer, Pilates mat, yoga, ballet, zumba, line dancing and any other physical activity that may be of interest. My Pilates and Yoga instructors have knowledge about bone loss, but also respect my decisions. I'm 65 and fracture free. I certainly don't feel that anyone should limit their activities, but I do feel that people (especially newbies) should be given the knowledge and learn safer movement in order to decide whether to push the envelope or not .... because unfortunately all it takes is one unexpected moment in time .... one wrong move .... so although we are all not the same because we don't have any way of knowing the strength of our remaining bones, we all are the same for risk. And each of us has to decide whether the risk is worth taking.
Thanks for your post.
Sandi

worldwide
  • By worldwide
  • Reply 3502825 · In reply to 3502783 by Sandi-sdivas
  • October 30, 2012 at 8:07 pm
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Thanks for the input - I've cut out the sit ups and crunches - never liked doing them anyhow ha ha guess the osteoporosis gives me the excuse to never have to do another sit up! I bought fishman's yoga book but am having trouble scaling back from the preventative
poses to the ones for osteoporosis - just thinking out loud here. Great to have somewhere to do it .....

al44

I think it's important for newbies to hear many voices, consider multiple choices, and make informed decisions. I think many people who are first diagnosed are mainly scared and are inundated with horror stories about people whose bones snap doing the simplest everyday activity. It's important to get other stories out there. "Safe" exercises are not optimal exercises for me, but they work for others. One size doesn't fit all.

SusieHathaway

I recently had the opportunity to speak with a physician who has been an osteoporosis researcher for most of his life. He said, “We used to think that if we could only know a person’s bone density, we could solve all of our problems. Didn’t turn out that way.”

He emphasized that bone density is only one of the components of bone strength. As more research is done, more will be learned about what makes bones strong. In the meantime, I encourage my class participants to move a lot, but move safely and do all of the lifestyle adaptations possible to strengthen their bones. http://www.nof.org/live/moving-safely

Below is a link to a very hopeful article regarding resistance exercise and a reduction in fractures on Dr. Miriam Nelson’s site, www.strongwomen.com. Her site is filled with excellent and inspiring information and I highly recommend her books, especially Strong Women, Strong Bones and Strong Women Stay Young, available in most libraries. As always, check with your doctor to see if her programs are safe for you. Every time I pick up one of her books, I’m reminded of important lifestyle adaptations that can help us be healthy and vibrant in the second half of our lives. Enjoy!

http://www.strongwomen.com/fitness_article/strength-training-and-fractures/

whidbey

Wow! So many responses to my original query. I must tend to my granddaughter now, so I will have to wait to address all these wonderful comments.

I plan to do so tomorrow, and hope all of you wonderful women will be there when I return.

Bjoliver

I am 5 weeks into healing from two compression fractures (age 58) and I would bet that my current fractures (my previous compression fractures collapsed more) are from being deconditioned from a previous injury and resulting lack of activity for a long period of time and unskillful lifting at shoulder height. I am -3.8 in the spine and -3.6 in the hips...and this is an improvement from 5 years ago! Strong muscles will help support bones, but I would urge everyone to learn to move wisely and and learn any movements that are contraindicated for people with osteoporosis such as crunches, forward bending, etc. It sounds like most of you have been exercising for quite some time and at a high level, so hopefully your muscles are strong, but there are other factors to consider such as low weight , diet and nutrition (I also eat well, but not enough) , pre- or post-menopause, and how strong your bone-building was as a child/teen... It is really hard for me as I used to be a strong and active person, to have to scale back so dramatically in order to heal. I also have a lot of anxiety about injuring myself now, so if I had it to do over I would rather be safe than sorry...

Little-Sparrow

For $1 you can order "Boning Up on Osteoporosis" from the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) website. I ordered it and follow almost all of their exercises. A full exercise program should include:

- Weight bearing exercise (i.e. walking)
- Posture Exercises
- Strengthening Exercises
- Balance Exercises
- Functional Exercises

Although I've walked every day briskly for many years (for 40 minute intervals), I began the other exercises just a couple of months ago. Most of them are very, very gentle ... but even so, there are a few that I cannot do. I also add some ballet exercises/stretches to my program and I may add some tai chi. Oh ... and I also sometimes dance in the kitchen when I'm cooking. LOL

I never bend over at the waist, do any aggressive twisting, lift anything heavy, and I refrain from anything that would "jolt" my spine (i.e. jumping).

I have found some wonderful resources on the web ... Melioguide ... something like that. Anyway, the main thing is that no matter what you do, if you begin to feel even a tiny bit of pain, it's time to stop and perhaps discontinue doing that exercise.

In a perfect world we would all have access to personal trainers who could come to our homes every day and teach us what to do, but such is not the case for all of us. If you can, find a PT who is trained to deal with people with osteoporosis.

Have any of these stretching/strengthening/posture/balance/functional excercises helped me? Well, I have no idea. Yet, I DO know this. They make me feel more in control of what's happening to my body, and thus better about myself, and afterall ... that's truly what's most important. :)

Bjoliver

Thank you Little Sparrow for your recommendations. I will look into this book from NOF. I really appreciate your comments about the mental aspect of exercise and that if nothing else, it makes us feel better about ourselves, more in control, and hopefully stronger!

worldwide

Thanks for all the great comments - i think that your words are really relevant little sparrow - to feel more in control of what's happening is so important. On some days i feel strong and healthy and positive and on other days i feel frustrated and defeated - hopefully the former will come to dominate as i grow accustomed to a new (and likely healthier) way of living.
thanks again - this site has really been a godsend to me.

georgia111

I start Physical Therapy on Tuesday and hopefully will be shown safe exercises to do. I will write again when I know what is safe and what is not. I have been exercising all my life - never had any problems until recently and now I am afraid to do anything until I know what is safe. I also am seeing the Ortho doctor that did my knee replacement after a fall. I trust him and hopefully he will have some answers too. Good luck Georgia

jackie_t

Get a bone health exercise DVD to teach you some specific moves. There are lots to choose from. I like Exercising for Bone HEalth because it uses yoga and tai chi -- http://www.betterbones.com/blog/post/Exercising-for-Bone-Health-DVD.aspx

PixelPixie
  • By PixelPixie
  • Reply 3529389 · In reply to 3503940 by Little-Sparrow
  • November 9, 2012 at 1:32 pm
  • Report post

LIttle sparrow, thank you for your list of books. I will take that to the library and see what they have.

PixelPixie

Correction: Thank you, Sandi-sdivas for your list of books!
Sandi-sdivas, so sorry for my error.

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