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Exercise to strengthen bones (for osteoporosis)
Osteoporosis & Bone Health | Last Active: Nov 2, 2023 | Replies (205)Comment receiving replies
@marcd: I hope this gets to you - posting about things that do or do not help with improving bone density. I see the discussion about vibrating plates, not sure about the effectiveness. Regarding basic, “easy”, exercises, I, like many older people, have several issues that prohibit some recommended activities. With chronic Sciatica, a right knee TKR, and semi-chronic right hip bursitis, any jogging/jumping or other joint stressing activity is a no-no. Sciatica is under control with daily exercises, bursitis comes and goes, but generally I’m in very good shape. Disappointed that walking, even if done with intensity as in 15 - 16 minute/mile does not help. Swimming - I don’t quite meet the threshold there, either. Usually 2 40minute sessions/week. Does really hard yard work (as in spreading mulch, digging up plants, hand-pruning dozens of azaleas, etc.) count at all? I’ll check out some of the specific exercises someone mentioned, but again - most people with osteoporosis are not spring chickens, and may be limited as to what they can do. Oncologist suggested perhaps starting with ankle weights, but again, there’s the knee issue. And several discs in spine that have atrophied. Any insights?
PS: weighted vest: any recommendation as to how much weight to use? I’m 5’5, 130 lbs, so would 10 lbs. be appropriate?
Replies to "@marcd: I hope this gets to you - posting about things that do or do not..."
Hello EllerBracke and SadieJones --
Thanks for your comments. I will respond in the order of the list of items I posted above.
But first, I would suggest working with a Physical Therapist to make sure you do not injure yourself. Not all PT's understand much about osteoporosis, so I have found that I need to bring some additional information to my PT.
General comment: Bones are strengthened by stress.
Balance training is helpful because it reduces likelihood of falls. PT can help you do these safely.
Swimming is said by some to help with bone structure (which is not completely defined by density) and possibly with bone density as well. Here are links regarding swimming.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7245678/#__ffn_sectitle
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32509864/
https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC7245678
https://saveourbones.com/what-swimming-does-to-your-bones/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3737199/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7245678/
Weight bearing exercise is the most researched, but it's hard to find specific exercises and data. I will try to post the information I have found as an attachment later this week or next week. I found that this was an area that I needed to provide information to my PT.
Walking as in strolling around is good for you but it does not strengthen bones according to research I have found. I will try to post an attachment with recommendations for walking and weighted vests.
Hope this is helpful.
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Hi @ellerbracke, Carol Michaels and Sara Meeks have good exercises for osteoporosis posted on YouTube. American Bone Health also has a resource, Exercises for Bone Health, which you can Google. My husband broke his hip recently and many of those exercises are ones the physical therapist gave him to strengthen his hip.
I've added light weights and also use exercise bands to increase resistance.
My rheumatologist told me a weighted vest could cause spinal fractures - so I gave the one I had, 10 pounds, away.
I came across an article a while ago that said women who gardened had less osteoporosis. I think you have to be careful, not to bend the spine forward, twist too far or lift something too heavy weight. The guidance I've read is no more than 20 lbs.
A review of studies involving whole body vibration therapy can be found in "Whole-body vibration exercise in postmenopausal osteoporosis", Magdalena Weber-Rajek,et al which you can google. All the best.