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Weight Lifting for Osteoporosis

SequoiaHealth
1 Recommendation

Weight Lifting for Osteoporosis

There has been some discussion of the best weight training for osteoporosis. First keep the overall goal in mind which is to prevent falls and reduce the risk of fracture. To do that requires increasing balance, flexibility, body awareness and coordination and improving bone strength (notice I did not say density).

Here are some guidelines I use with clients:
1. Two times a week for the average person is sufficient for weight training especially if other weight bearing activities are being performed. Including other activities, called cross training, is a good idea for your bones and health.
2. Use free weights and stay off the machines. When you use free weights the stabilization muscles are required as well as the primary movers (the muscles actually lifting the weights) so the demand is increased on your muscles and bones. More benefit for the same amount of time spent.
3. When stability allows, stimulate your balance while doing your weight training. Standing on one leg, sitting on a fitness ball and using one dumbbell at a time instead of two all challenge your balance, stability and coordination.
4. Full body functional weight training is the way to go. Functional means using multiple muscles through varied movement patterns. Your body functions as a unit when you work and play so you want to train it as a unit. Athletes (yes you are an athlete if you lift groceries; work in the garden, etc.) do weight training that stimulates their whole body not just parts; so should you.
5. Lift as much weight as you can safely and with good form. Use fewer repetitions in the 8 to 12 range for best results. This approach builds muscle strength quicker and places greater stress on the bone. Light weights (unless that is all you can safely lift) with high repetitions is not recommended for efficient bone strengthening.

If you have further questions please feel free to email me at
bebonestrong@sequoiahealth.com.

Woody McMahon

Explore topics in this discussion:

Exercise Falls Confusion Emphysema Reclast Weakness Pain Osteoporosis Stress

19 replies

raindancer

Thank you so much for this Woody. My husband and I are rejoining a local gym and I can see that I am going to have to build my own program as the trainer there encouraged me to use the bikes and some of the machines after I told her I had osteo and could not do any exercises that used flexion..she means well but this is a rural area and people think going to a gym is to train to look hot in a skimpy swim suit..lol... I have had to tell so many people that bike riding is not a weight bearing exercise, including trainers at 2 different gyms and my daughter's orthopedic surgeon who suggested bike riding to her as a "weight-bearing exercise".

I will use the treadmill in bad weather which is from Nov to May in this area and do some weight lifting there..my husband who is 81 and looks 65 likes to go for workouts all year around but I like to be outside in the summer and since the gym is almost a half hour away, I don't want to spend an hour sitting in the car to get an hour's worth of exercise. I have done free weights off and on for years and started again this past winter..sorry to have to admit that I have not been keeping up with them this summer but since I will be going to the gym with him, I can do them there. I still garden and walk in good weather but winters here are very bad so the gym will give me an incentive to stay busy in winter. thanks again..

Paula

sdivas

raindancer, may I suggest that you print out some of the exercise suggestions on the community. Have a chat with the fitness instructor about the need for fitness instructors that have knowledge of bone loss and that you will be happy to work with the fitness instructor to educate him/her on bone loss. Reinforce the need and that once the fitness instructor learns; using you as the guide, he/she will be able to offer their services to other people with osteopenia/osteoporosis. In other words, there is a huge gap that is not being filled ... and any fitness instructor that is smart enough to see may have a lightbulb moment and be only to happy to work with you. Of course, that means you must do your own homework .... no forward flexions; no twists. You may want to borrow some osteoporosis books from the library. I used several books that I would show fitness instructors. We have to get past that hot skimpy swimsuit mentality ..... we sometimes use that as an excuse; also living in a rural area does not mean that the fitness instructor cannot be educated on bone loss. It takes one person to advocate and by doing so, that person will help others with bone loss. All those women you are seeing in skimpy clothes may possibly be the next wave of osteoporosis. Don't give up. You are worth the fight .... no matter your age. Of course, I must add that you should check with your doctor before starting any exercise program for bone loss. Sandi

SaraMeeks

Great discussion and idea. Yes, free weights are far, far superior to machines as they incorporate aspects of balance and coordination as well as, as per SequoiaHealth, make you use stabilizers in order to use the prime movers in the lift.
Regarding which lifts to do, I would recommend certain lifts over others. Single shoulder flexion and abduction (front and side arm lifts,) over-head dumbbell presses, military press, triceps strengthening, full body squats (we do overhead squats and split-squat techniques with weights overhead.) Before adding instability, such as standing on a bosu ball or something like that, make sure you can do the lifts in good form standing on the stable floor.
Although it's good to do functional movements which require many muscles, joints etc., I believe it's also important to do isolated movements. Sometimes, in complex movements, we compensate around areas of restriction and/or weakness. I believe we need to do both functional and isolated.
The only machines I use are a reverse pec dec and seated row. Limitations with these machines and movements are that they are done in sitting so one must maintain stable seated posture. When doing seated rows, make sure you are moving the shoulder blades and not just the arms.
AND.......it's so important to get a good message to trainers so don't be shy. You never know when, as sdivas said, the light bulb will go off and you'll change somebody's perspective on exercise for osteoporosis.

millie123

I want to compliment all of you here: Woody, Sarah,sdivas, and, of course, Mother Goose. I only found this website last week. I had been looking for "safe" exercises and could not find anyone to give me advice, period. The osteo diagnoses had me afraid to move. Then I read some of the threads on here. Terrific. I printed out the thread on weight-bearing vests and the one on Johns Hopkins "problems." I set up an appointment with my gp and consulted with him. You should be complimented that he liked some of your suggestions so much that he kept the printouts. He intends to give this forum attention by suggesting that some of his patients join up and get educated. Some doctors just do not have the time to instruct their patients or just assume that the patients "know" (through osmosis, I guess) things that they have never been exposed to in their lives. You are a valuable resource. Thanks so much.

Mrs_Thistlebottom

Thanks, everyone, for this great discussion. Like Millie, I had been afraid to move after just recently receiving the diagnosis of osteo in my spine. But I'm slowly easing back into weight training, and of course am much more mindful of how I move now.

I am curious about the safety of deadlifts. I know forward flexion is contraindicated. But if deadlifts are done properly, the back is straight, abs are pulled in, knees are slightly bent, and movement is from the hip hinge only. Does anyone know if this exercise would be unsafe?

Joan

huessysignoret

Woody -- what are we to think? Just a few days ago, Sara Meeks said that weight training is NOT weight-bearing exercise, and not recommended for osteo. She said we should be walking, jogging, etc. Logic tells me some weight training is good, too -- especially when I look at my arms, which are well muscled for an almost 64-year-old woman. What's the argument against weight training?

SequoiaHealth

Hi Sara: Forwarded this to you. I will let you answer first. Woody

By huessysignoret

Woody -- what are we to think? Just a few days ago, Sara Meeks said that weight training is NOT weight-bearing exercise, and not recommended for osteo. She said we should be walking, jogging, etc. Logic tells me some weight training is good, too -- especially when I look at my arms, which are well muscled for an almost 64-year-old woman. What's the argument against weight training?

Gemstone36

Hi Woody, Thanks for your thoughts. I have serious emphysems and macular degeneration which causes me to be legally blind. Even so, I try to exercise twice a week but because of my breathing with oxygen, I am limited on how much I can do. I recently learned I have Osteoporosis with -3.0 and -3.2 in the hips, but am in no pain and standing tall.
My exercise routine is usually 10-12 minutes on a recumbant bicycle, 10-12 minutes on an arm cycle, and 10-12 minutes on a treadmill at only 1.2-1.3 mph. Then I do three weight machines: 55 lbs on an arm pull, 55 lbs. on an arm push, and 110 lbs on a leg push, each for 2 sets of 10. I have done no free weights. My weight is only 133 pounds and I am 5'8", down from 5'10.5"
My question is: I know my routine is good for emphysema, but is it OK for Osteoporosis. My doc wants me to go on Reclast but I surely do not need the side effects, so I have resisted that treatment. I am 73 years old.
Thanks,
Jim

raindancer

Hi Sandi

I have already done my homework...lol...that is why I will be doing my own fitness routine at the gym. I know the woman who runs this gym and I know more about Osteo than she does,. used to go to her other gym back in the late 80's and ninties..she does not really seem to "get the message" if you know what I mean.

We have a friend who has just started going there for osteoporosis exercise and she has her riding a bike and doing all of the machines some of which are contraindictated for people with osteo.

I will be starting in about a month and will try to get her a bit more educated as there are quite a lot of older people in this area with Bluecross/Blue Shield health Insurancewhich has a Go-Getters benefit..a certain amount to be paid for gyms, etc to keep patients in better shape. If she sees a chance to increase business, she might be willing to educate her self to get more customers.

I already have an extensive library of material on Osteo [and many other health conditions] and am making good use of it. I have had 2 horrendous falls in the past 3 weeks and can not believe how fast I have recovered..except for some scabbing on my right knee and a frontal bone split that is still healing..I am as good as new! I just turned 79 and am in very good health.. my Dr is amazed at my blood profile ..I think I have good genes from my Dad and stay up to date on everything including all the new health studies, etc. Thanks for your interest, I love these boards...sharing info is one of the best helps any of us have.

Paula

cm81256

Hi and thanks for all the good info. I am completely confused now. I read all the bad stuff about working out. I used to do cross training on the eliptical and was told no that doesn't build bones. and No bike riding doesn't build bones and no treadmill doesn't build bones but stair climbing does. Okay one down. How about lifing a 5 lb weight in each hand and doing squats and bicep curls and overhead lifts. Is that enought weight to build bones? I also heard that leg presses were good weight machine for the hips. My gym tells me you need a fitness instructer and he knows nothing about osteo he thinks all weight machines and crunches are good. Well I now read that crunches are not such a good idea as you may fracture something. Seriously I am at a loss as what is good and what is bad.

SaraMeeks

Hello:
I apologize for any confusion on weight-bearing and weight training exercise. My point was that lifting weights, using machines etc is NOT weight-bearing, it is weight lifting or weight training. Both weight lifting and weight training are good for osteoporosis. There are some movements and machines to be avoided, others to be used with caution, and still others to be encouraged.
I was just trying to distinguish between the two. Weight-bearing is bearing body weight through the bones as in walking, jogging, dancing, even free weights would include some weight bearing as you are on your feet. Machines such as treadmills, elliptical trainers, stair steppers are less weight bearing than free walking. Stationary bicycles are non-weight-bearing as is swimming. Not that swimming is bad--just not weight bearing.
Hope this clarifies things a bit.
Sara Meeks

SequoiaHealth

By huessysignoret:
Hope you saw Sara's response. Woody

SequoiaHealth

Hi cm81256:
Please re-read my post carefully. I wish I could answer your question about 5 pounds. Each person will be different. 5 pounds would not be enough for me but might be for you. Individualized programs are the best and only way to approach this subject. It is very hard to generalize.

That is why I first evaluate my clients to see what capabilities and limitations they are experiencing. I then monitor and help them progress. As you get stronger the weights will and should go up.

What is bad is pretty simple:
1. Flexion which includes crunches, sit-ups, touching your toes, etc.
2. Upper body rotation with feet fixed on the floor

The more you can make weight training/lifting weight bearing (standing) the better. It provides more pressure on the hips and spine and improves balance. So use fewer or no machines and that will will help with balance and bone strength.

Woody

SequoiaHealth

Hi Gemstone36:
I would add some standing weight training and balance work to round out your program. Bear in mind, safety is the first consideration because of your health limitations.

Woody

Gemstone36

Thanks, Woody...I assume that standing weight bearing is lifting free weights while standing in one place, and for balance standing on one leg?

huessysignoret

Sara -- thank you for your response about weight training and weight bearing. Unfortunately, most of my walking is done on the treadmill because I live in a rural area with no paths and dangerously narrow two-lane roads with no level shoulders. I try to get the most out of the treadmill by doing some weight lifting and stretchy-band exercises while I'm walking. Woody commented once that there wasn't any balance involved in treadmill walking. That depends. The other day I was walking on the treadmill, doing stretchy band exercises, listening to my Nano iPod and singing "Angel from Montgomery" at the top of my lungs. I managed to drift off to one side and had to scramble to regain my balance. Not an ideal balance exercise, I admit, but fun (I didn't fall, or even come close.)

Thanks again for your excellent advice.

SaraMeeks

Dear Huessysignoret:
Do you have your own treadmill or do you drive to the gym to use theirs?
Sara Meeks

raindancer

Hi Sara,

Thanks for your post. Most of these are the weight training exercises I already do..I am printing them out to give to the owner of the gym..also those posted by Woody and advice by Sandi. I will show her your book as well, she just has no idea what would be good or bad for her customers with Osteo, but I will try to help her see that there are some things we shouldn't do.

I do have one exercise I do which I have not seen mentioned on here and that is stair stepping, concentrating weight on one foot for several seconds before stepping back down and then repeating on the opposite foot. I used to do it all the way to the second floor ..just keeping my hand an inch above the railing in case I started to fall..but now I am just doing the bottom step [still with hand over the railing but not actually touching or putting weight on it as that would not give as much benefit].

My reflexes are still good and if I had to, I could grab the railing. I am trying to work up to about a minute on each foot for about 15 steps..that would be about 14 minutes of weight on 1 foot only..I am up to about 20 seconds per step right now and I must say..a totally boring exercise once I got past 10 seconds per step..lol...but 135# weight on one food should encourage some response I would think.

If any of you have a suggestion on how many seconds would help,please post. [I know I won't do 30 minutes of this one a day though!!!

Thanks for all your help...
Paula

SequoiaHealth

Hi Gemstone36:
That is correct. Woody

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