Hi!
I've recently been diagnosed with osteopenia (and with one particularly poor spot in my hip).
I am looking into ways of building bone without using any drugs. So exercise and nutrition only.
Weight vests seem to be one way of increasing bone density, but so far I haven't seen any weight vests that look appropriate. What I'd like is something that breathes so that I can cool off (i.e., sweat can evaporate), can carry significant weight (at least 10 pounds, and probably more like 20 pounds).
But I wonder whether anyone has any experience doing this without using a weight vest. For example, using a backpack (as in backpacking), or using something that places the weights around the hips.
Any other comments about handling osteopenia (or mild osteoporosis) are also very welcome.
Thanks,
Soprano
Already a member? Sign in
Welcome to Inspire!
What - Inspire is a place where you can connect with people who share your health concerns and find information and advice in groups sponsored by organizations you know and trust.
Why - As a member you can use Inspire to let friends and family know how you're doing, contact others who share your health concerns, receive personalized updates and information about participating in surveys and clinical trials, and more.
How - Joining Inspire is completely free and usually takes less than a minute. Join now!
weight vests and other ways of adding weight to exercise
Explore topics in this discussion:
Exercise Osteopenia Hysterectomy Pain Falls Fractures Osteoporosis Stress
32 replies
- Oldest first
- Newest first
- By sdivas
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 11:01 am
- Report post
Hi Soprano, there are several previous discussion posts about weighted vests. I've bumped up a previous discussion which is on the front page. Hope the info helps. If you have any additional questions, please ask. Sandi
- By Marlys
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 11:04 am
- Report post
I went to a physical therapistjust once recently and she told me I could use a back pack and add weights.
Now I don't want to tell everyone to do this as I actually sometimes doubt whether the physcial therapist knows exactly what a a person with a really bad spine t score should do. ( which i have)
I did , however get a back pack and with my own belongings in it it may weigth 3-4 lbs and I add another 3 lbs of weight to it and walk that way for about 40 min. (walking the dogs)
I bought a back pack that hooks in front so it is not sliding around which I believe would be necessary for what we want to achieve.
40 min of doing this is work for me but doesn't feel like I am over doing it but definitely feels like i am exercising something.
I have never had a fracture and I actually do quite a lot of physical work around the house and am beginning to believe that if I was going to fracture easily it would already have occurred.
This may not be the corect way to think but I actually have always been active and think my issues could have stemmed from lack of calcium in my diet and poor diet (which I have corrected)
Wait for a few more responses on this before you get a back pack
- By lilrayosun
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 11:07 am
- Report post
Hey, Soprano:
I know some enterprising people here do use backpacks. My concern about a backpack is it's hard to control the distribution of the weight. If whatever you put in the backpack as weight sloshes around (and it more than likely will), then you'll end up possibly carrying more weight on one side than the other. The other problem is that the weight is all in the back, which tends to make people hunch over -- which is something you definitely don't want to do.
With a weight vest, the weight is evenly distributed front to back, so that you can have (ideally) perfect posture while you walk.
Here are some weight vests I like:
These are the ones that were used in a study on osteoporosis and weight vests: http://www.walkvest.com/
This is one you can really load with weights: http://www.weightvest.com/Womenvests.html
Goes up to 30 pounds. The problem with this vest is that the weight is distributed high on the body across the upper back and chest. This is not an ideal configuration. They really should be below the rib cage, right around your waist. The other thing I don't like about it is you have to lift the entire thing over your head. Which if you're packing 30 pounds, is hard (and possibly dangerous) to do.
This vest is a little stealthier, but also a little...er... frumpier? http://weightvest4osteoporosis.com/
Goes up to 10 pounds. Don't know if you can order additional weights. The weights are soft weights.
These are very stylish: http://nyknyc.com/
Trouble is, they only go to 4 pounds, but you can buy additional sets of 4 pound weights to max out at 12 pounds. I believe the additional weights are $40 per set.
Happy shopping!
Raye
- By Mrs_Thistlebottom
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 12:57 pm
- Report post
I bought the Walkvest recently (the first one that Raye mentioned), and I LOVE it. I'm starting out light with a set of 4 lb pound weights and also ordered an additional set of 4 lb weights. It helped my posture a lot, and my back felt great afterward.
The fabric is a heavyweight cotton (I think) and I believe that it would be fairly breathable in hot weather. The vest holds a max of 16 lbs, and the weights are loaded in half-pound increments in pockets that are placed all around the waist area of the vest.
I'm also working on weight loss and am hoping the Walkvest will help me with that as well as building bone density.
My kids think I look like a member of a SWAT team while I'm wearing it, but then again, they think a lot of my habits are weird. :-)
Mrs. T.
- By Mordita
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 7:50 pm
- Report post
Hi Soprano:
I got a Women's 10 lbs. aerobic walking vest made by Danskin at Big 5 for $19.99 on sale. Regular price was $49.99. It has mesh on the top for breathability.
I took 4 lbs. off to start slowly and I love it. It is easy to wear and I use it on my walks, and when I do my half hour walking video.
And yes, it makes you look like a SWAT team member, but I don't mind. Maybe people will think twice before they approach me :)
Good luck! I hope it works.
- By soprano
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 8:10 pm
- Report post
Thanks everyone for all the pointers to different walk vests! I can see that this is going to be a bit difficult to choose between, but it looks like most people are very happy with the vests they've used. Maybe it's just a matter of finding the vest that fits me best.
Soprano
- By Lynney
- Posted October 25, 2009 at 2:46 pm
- Report post
I have tipped over from Osteopenia to Osteoporosis (-2.5T score) and yet my osteo physical therapist has told me Weighted Vests are too dangerous and may compress the spine, leading to fractures.... It's so difficult to know what to do for the best!!
- By Marlys
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 11:40 am
- Report post
I am now interested in a weighted vest rather than using a back pack .
i will describe my figure so maybe someone can recommend one that may fit me best.
I am a smaller person 5' 4" about 115 lb with a waist that is not very much smaller than my hips. In other words sort of a boyish figure . I am also a very short waisted with long legs
I cannot were jeans made for a womans body because their is too much fabric not filled out in the hip and the waist is usually too small and doesn hit me at the right place
I am concerned sort of about getting a vest that is fitted at the waist with a belt because that kind of thing usually does not fit my body. Maybe i should get a medium ?
or maybe a vest that is short for other people would fit me OK
I liked the walk vest but but not sure if it would fit or whether I should get a small or medium
Can anyone tell me how these different brand fit ?
- By beckyg
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 12:03 pm
- Report post
if anyone is interested, I just got a 10 lb weighted vest at academy sports for thirty bucks.
- By beachkat
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 3:45 pm
- Report post
Soprano
I noticed you were looking for a good looking weight vest ... go to www. nyknyc.com I got their weight vest and I love it my friends also got that one it is so cute , and they even come in styles and colors , red black or blue very comfortable vest made just for women , as you know most of these vests look like they are for men plus they are too heavy the nyknyc one is cute and has just the right amount of weight which alsp can be doubled for a real challenge
I got mine a year ago and I am getting strong and feeling fantastic , you gotta do the nyk vest and get strong bones!
- By beachkat
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 3:51 pm
- Report post
oh I forgot to mention to Soprano that the extra weights for that gorgeous NYKNYC vest only cost you an additional 16.00 they sell them at cost or in other words they don't even make any money they only ask their customers to cover the cost of making the bars
their bars are very sleek and so you look sleeker not bulky like that ugly manish vest called the walk vest
My friend had purchased the walk vest and it fell apart the day she got it - I had gotten that one and was really sorry I did as it was flimsey cheap cotton and very uncomfortalbe because the bars of weight hit me in my hip bone when I tried to walk in it do not buy the debbie rocker walk vest it really stinks!
plus they took forever to return my money .. I would recommend the NYKNYC vest to anyone who wants a non chemical way to get strong bones!!
- By beachkat
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 3:54 pm
- Report post
wendy , Hi I wanted to let you know that I had trouble with that debbie Rock walk vest it bumped into my hips when I was walking and it had to be returned
it was cheaply made and thin cotton also the button even fell off it ! Plus it was ugly you should read my comment on this pretty vest I picked up from NYK
it is feminine looking forget the walk vest it looks like a straight jacket... so funny!
- By beachkat
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 3:57 pm
- Report post
Hey Becky G I am glad you found a vest however...
I do not want to look stupid when out walking and a
30.00 vest you had mentioned I looked online and hey I would not be caught DEAD in that thing!
I use the womans vest created by NYK it is so cute
and not that much money either - but hey, I am worth it!!
- By Marlys
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 1:20 pm
- Report post
I just read a remark in another post stating that the weighted vest doesn't help strengthen the spine but does the hips
is this really true?
- By PattyBoyd27
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 1:46 pm
- Report post
HI ALL! I was reading all the talk on these weighted vests and I want to let you know that I had heard about that Debbie Rock walk vest and I bought one
all I can say is Dont get that vest ! It is not made correctly it hurt my hips when I walked in it and was very thin cheap fabric plus it looked strange like manish it is the worst. I read on line and did research on the vests and decided the best one which read featured in Womans Day is the NYKNYC one .
I got that one and LOVE it ! it is very nice looking for a weight vest really well designed and so comfortable and it looks like clothing so I can wear it anywhere I go to get strong bones anytime I even use my nyk vest at the gym to intensify my treadmill workout .
the NYK vest is only available online it is not in stores I asked them why they said because not only does it fit like clothing and come in sizes but they even do tailoring for odd sizes!! Thats the best vest for me
- By PattyBoyd27
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 1:50 pm
- Report post
I was shocked by the way that anybody would endorse the walk vest by deb rocker - it really is a shoddy product.
- By SantaFe
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 2:45 pm
- Report post
I also have the Danskin Women's Aerobic weight vest from Big 5 for $19.
It fits great and adjusts really well, is comfortable, and easy to add or subtract weights which are situated in a balanced way. The only downside is that it only has 10lbs of weight with it, but that is plenty for me right now.
Santa Fe
- By SusanRae
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 5:53 pm
- Report post
PattyBoyd27,
Do you work for NYKNYC?
It seems odd that a selling point for an online product is that they do tailoring for odd sizes. How do they take measurements for tailoring over the internet?
It is a nice looking vest, though.
- By lilrayosun
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 6:08 pm
- Report post
Hey, Marlys:
If you search the weight vest topics, particularly for Sara Meeks' responses, she repeatedly says that weight vests don't do much to improve spinal density. My guess would be that in order for something to have an effect on your bones, your muscles have to be working against it and/or gravity.
In other words, weight vests work on your hips because when you are walking and your feet/legs are impacting the ground, they are carrying the extra load of the vest, ergo, your hip bones respond to the increased demand placed on them (you weigh more w/ the vest) by becoming more dense.
But when you are walking and wearing a weight vest, your spine isn't really having to "do" anything other than remain upright. It's not working against a load ... not the way it would say if you were doing spinal extension (i.e., those "superman" exercises) while wearing the vest. Or doing a seated row on a machine (without the vest obviously...or maybe not so obviously... but definitely without the vest).
By the way, I'm not necessarily advocating doing spinal extension with the weight vest. Not sure how safe that would be. On one hand, seems like it might be a good exercise, as long as you weren't sort of sinking into your lower back and crunching it (in which case, you could hurt your spine) -- but maybe run it past one of the fitness advisors first.
I walk with the vest for my hips, and I do some of the BEST study exercises (seated row, lat pull-downs and military press) along with yoga poses (Cobra, Locust & Bridge) for my back. There's absolutely no flexion or rotation involved. I started out with very light weights, and am gradually working my way up. And with the yoga, I started out holding poses for 20 seconds and am gradually working my way to more extended times.
Can't say yet whether it works, but I definitely feel better and stronger. And I get out of bed in the morning without uttering a string of ooch eeech yeowch creak squeak groans.
Best,
Raye
- By PattyBoyd27
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 6:28 pm
- Report post
Hello Susan Rae! Ha no I am not involved with the NYK weight vest company, but I really do love that vest.
I am very slight of built and have a hard time finding anything that fits me so I was delighted that that company actually would tailor a weight vest just for me! I thought that was very cool - nobody has ever done me that favor and free of charge too.
ps i did not say that was a selling point jsut a nice thing they do I think the selling point is a really good vest that fits well and looks great.
Add to the discussion