what movements to avoid with osteoporosis

These posts are very helpful to me because I'm just learning that planks are better than sit-ups. I will see if this quiets my creaking back. Every time I do a sit up I listen to my back cracking and creaking. There is no pain but it's noisy and disconcerting. Much less noise with the plank.

I have been searching for PTs who specialize in osteoporosis. I found MelioGuide Physical Therapy on YouTube and plan to delve deeper with Margaret's program.

I will check out your suggestions - thank you!

Echoes of thanks from me. In late January, I was diagnosed with an average -4.4 lumbar area (L3-4 -4.9!), no frax, I've quit my old routine of toe taps, twists, etc--but I'm struggling to figure out how achieve a straight (neutral) back without eyes in the back of my head. I'm very fit and have been adding exercises suggested here, but am never sure I'm doing anything right. I feel like the A student who gets an F on the first essay assignment for Freshman comp--doomed to flunking out of life. Thanks for the advice. I am awaiting a PT to follow up on my PCP's referral. [the cause of this mess remains undiagnosed; I'll do whatever is quickest in restoring my spine. Damn the side effects. OP in fem-neck is mild--OA elsewhere, but plenty of people (women and men) sustain fractures with lower scores. It seems that all of the non-resorbatives target the spine, with much less improvement in the hip. I am pretty confident exercise and diet will help me fend off fractures.]

Hello All,
I am an otherwise fit 66 yr old woman and diagnosed Oct 2022 with Osteoporosis in Spine (-2.9) and Femoral neck (T-Score -2.8) and total hip (T-Score -2.1). My L3 is more advanced at -3.4. When I asked the PA at my PCP - Well just how porous are my bones, she could not tell me that. But she wanted to prescribe Fosamax without understanding the degree or cause of my OP. What????

I asked for a referral to an Endocrinologist which took 2 months. At that appointment, the discussion was more thorough and again meds were suggested. He also suggested weight bearing and resistance exercises. As I wanted to make certain of the exact exercises for me and the proper technique, I asked for a Physical therapy prescription for the exercises. He told me he could not do that. What????

The discussion with the Endocrinologist continued now with his superior in the exam room and they were encouraging me to take the meds. The superior stated well you have one vertebrae in your lower spine that is high. When asked which one, she told me that is not important. What???? Well it's important to me, I said so the other doctor looked up the image and told me L3.

I am deep into researching OP and how to move onwards without the meds, if possible. I have been fortunate to find an Osteoporosis Yoga class and a separate Bone Up on Bone Health class at the Steinberg Wellness Center which is affiliated with Emerson Hospital in Concord MA. Both of these classes have provided instructional guidance and support on movement dos and don'ts and the Bone up class delved into nutrition, supplementation, sleep positions etc. Both are excellent.

Early on in my quest for knowledge, I came across Margaret Martin - Melioguide and actually had a virtual consult with her over Zoom this past Friday (she is booked about 2 months out). I have to say that experience was enlightening and her knowledge sharing was immensely valuable to me. Over Zoom she analyzed my posture, balance, strength, lifestyle, goals and provided excellent immediate feedback. She explains things in great detail which I appreciated. She asked if my Dr had done Bone Marker blood work (nope). She said that is an important test so there is baseline data of bone resorption and bone formation, with or without med intervention. She then actually visually reviewed my current and prior DEXA scan images (from the report attachments I provided to her) and clearly indicated the concerns of my L3. She asked if my Dr had done this comparison review with me - no they had not. She stated the Dr really should be doing that.

The bottom line in writing this post is to provided feedback on my interaction with Margaret Martin and to let you know, my personal experience with her was not only informative but encouraging. She too suggested a med potentially but her emphasis was on a bone builder. I am still weighing things out and would prefer not to go the med route but as they say knowledge is power and I am feeling more powerful after my consult with her.

Kind regards to all in your bone health journal - Ellen

Ellen, your experience sounds much like mine. I also came across Margaret Martin – Melioguide and although I haven't had a private consult with her there is a lot to learn from her videos. I am looking for a personal trainer to guide me through the correct exercises but haven't found one yet. I am also going to investigate the bone marker tests that my endocrinologist did not recommend. Thanks for posting.

Hello- I am a swimmer. What about flip turns? Are these safe?

Swimming alas is great cardio, but not weigh bearing--nor surprisingly in biking.

Hello Ellen,
Thanks for sharing your story. I am also trying to learn as much as possible and about ways to maintain bone health, because I have worsening osteoporosis as well as severe scoliosis. I am considering the use of Forteo or Tymlos. There are drawbacks to all of the drugs currently available, and apparently no new ones are being developed. New research studies suggest that drug sequencing may be important. I found a recent lecture given by Benjamin Leder MD, (who is part of the endocrine unit at Massachusetts General Hospital) to be informative. It is called “ combined and sequential approaches to osteoporosis therapy” which can be found on YouTube.
Mary

Ellen, I have been looking at Martin, McCormick and others. I am glad for your rec regarding Martin. Your experience with the endo makes me all the more determined to lean on my GP to order the tests I need to determine the type of deficit in the bone-modeling process (what is out of balance or missing) with bone-markers. And most of all, other tests: the PTH, Adreno and Hormonal tests that might explain how my spine ended up in the >-4.4 range. It certainly wasn't menopause!

On the bone summit: one of the speakers declared that the front line meds do nothing to prevent fractures--if you are diagnosed w/o prior fragility frax, they may not be the right course. It stands to reason, because lots of people break bones with all sorts of numbers, because BMD is not necessarily bone quality. I don't know what to think. It may be that with fractures, bisphosphates prevents shedding Ca, so bones can heal better. Why they don't do bone markers before throwing drugs first, I can't fathom--I mean are the endos paying for the frigging tests?

After breaking a bone in my back due to Osteoporosis, my doctor put me on Prolia. Vi have been on Prolia for three years and have not broken any bones. Apparently, the worst side effect of the drug is Necrosis of the jaw which scares the heck out of me that I might get that. Is there anyone out there that is on Prolia? If so, please tell me how you are doing. Thank you.
Yvie

Thank-you for this information. Just last week I cracked a rip while coughing deeply.