I'm so glad Windyshores replied and shared her experience with movement after fractures. I'm lucky, it's not something I know about. Best of luck to your husband as he moves forward to better health.

@isabelle7

Hello again.
I am so glad your husband has been cleared to do a bit more exercise. I TOTALLY understand the anxiety over starting to rebuild strength without risking another fracture.

I am in the same boat .... I have talked with three different therapists and my bone doctor. They can't see how much the bone has improved in such a short time. So, I get vague or contradictory recommendations on how much I can do.

I am worried about a new fracture ... and frustrated that no one can give me much guidance. I do know that my blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol have all gone up, along with my anxiety level. There is a risk to NOT exercising also.

I don't remember if he has started on an anabolic treatment for osteoporosis, but regardless, it is hard to tell how much bone has been rebuilt, and how much risk he still has. After his multiple fractures, it isn't just a matter of the bones healing, but of the bone rebuilding. (At least that's what my doctors and therapists tell me.)

At any rate, I decided to go with doing my resistance exercises in the water. I am not swimming or doing water aerobics because of the torque to the spine, but I can do various leg lifts, arm resistance, stretches and walking frontwards and backwards in the pool. I also make an effort to walk up and downhill, standing and squatting for 2 minutes using hand weights, and work on balance exercises at home. And, of course, normal walking. Those were the only exercises that everyone agreed wouldn't lead to more fracture risk.

Good luck ... let me know what you come up with!! I am open to new exercise suggestions.

I absolutely refuse to use resistance bands on the lower half of my body (ankles, calves, thighs) after I developed sciatica in my hip using them. Last year, I was in PT for a frozen left hip and after working with the bands with my therapist, I developed sciatica on my right hip. Let's just say I'm not a fan of PT and especially after what happened to me this year. This year (in early January) I fractured my L3. I began PT in late March. Everything was going reasonably well until my therapist had me do balancing exercises. Sounds reasonable, right? Unfortunately during one of the exercises I damaged the ligament on my left ankle causing significant swelling and pain. I went to PT to strengthen my back muscles after I fractured and I ended up with a damaged ankle. Go figure. To say I was NOT happy would be a gross understatement. It took two months to heal completely where I had no pain. I was especially upset because it curtailed the only exercise that I enjoy which is walking. I know for some people physical therapy works wonders. But for me, I've gotten hurt twice now so I'm extremely wary of PT in general. I believe that the vast majority of physical therapists don't understand the limitations of frail people with osteoporosis, even when they say they do.