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Weight lifting - bone scans improved in one year!
I'm a 62-year-old woman, average weight, healthy eater, and a runner. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis last year with my first bone scan. I tried one dose of oral Fosamax--it made me terribly sick--so I stopped immediately. I researched alternatives, adding Vitamin K2 and D to my supplements, and started weight lifting with heavy weights 5-6 times a week. I researched specific osteroporosis weight lifting programs, but couldn't find a coach nearby. So, I just started using youtube videos and lifting heavy weights. I just had a repeat bone scan that showed improvement in all my numbers--moving osteoporosis to osteopenia for some locations. My worst area is my L3--this improved by 30%! In one year! Very excited to share this. I hope that sharing my results might encourage others to try weight lifing.
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Congratulations, that's great news!
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3 ReactionsWould love to hear more. What weight-lifting exercises did you do? How often? How heavy were the weights?
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3 ReactionsYes; would love to hear the exercises that you’re doing?
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2 ReactionsStrong work! That is great to hear!
That is great news. We are all interested in your weight lifting plan. I’m 75 and strong, my MRIs on my lower spine shows degenerative and some bulging discs in L4 and L5. Unsure if lifting too heavy of weights will make it worse.
Any advise?
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1 ReactionThat's terrific for you! If you don't mind sharing: what were/are your #s then and now, and what exactly do YOU mean by heavy lifting. I'm -3.2 in spine and doing weights but prob need to work up to heavier as i go.
Thank you
Here are my results. I should have written L4, not L3, as the largest improvement in my original comment.
For my weightlifting program, I first watched YouTube videos from "Brick House Bones" (she shares excellent information and technique) and researched the Australian osteoporosis weight‑lifting program known as LIFTMOR and its clinical course, called ONERO. However, since I don't have space for a barbell in my apartment, I looked for a program that only uses dumbbells (2.5kg, 5kg, 7.5kg, and 10kg) and a mat. I started out using the 2.5-5kg, but now I'm using 7.5-10kg, lifting with fewer repetitions but heavier weights. I started doing a routine from Heather Robertson — it's not specific to osteoporosis, but just a weightlifting fitness routine that I really enjoy. Any routine can work--it's all about weight-bearing.
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3 Reactions@vga Congrats and thank you for sharing, it gives me hope.
I am 63 - and have been strengthening too.
Brandon Palmer is on instagram and YouTube. And free. I think you will really enjoy him.