If you have osteoporosis in your spine, don't lift more than 20 to 25 pounds with your arms or against your trunk, and avoid movements that have you twisting your trunk or bending forward extensively. (Bending back is fine, says Lein.)
In addition to managing your osteoporosis, it's important to avoid activities that may cause a fracture. Such activities include movements that involve twisting your spine, like swinging a golf club, or bending forward from the waist, like sit ups and toe touches.
The Best Exercises for Osteoporosis
Squats, deadlifts, and split squats or step ups for the lower body, and push-ups and presses for the upper body. These exercises should be used whenever possible taking care to not force the issue around any mobility constraints or other frailty concerns.
Start by lifting 2-5 pound dumbbells and gradually increase the weight as you get stronger. Special considerations:At first, your muscles may feel sore for a day or two after you exercise. If soreness lasts longer, you're working too hard and need to ease up.
By stressing your bones, strength training can increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
These types of activities are often recommended for people with osteoporosis: Strength training exercises, especially those for the upper back. Weight-bearing aerobic activities. Flexibility exercises.
Regardless of being male, female or your goals, weight training has proven benefits of preventing or reversing Osteoporosis.
Bone-strengthening program
An exercise program for osteoporosis should include four components: Weight-bearing exercises force your body to work against gravity, which helps to strengthen bones. Examples include walking, climbing stairs, playing tennis, and dancing.
Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, and climbing stairs, can help you build strong bones and slow bone loss.
A T-score of −2.5 or lower indicates that you have osteoporosis. The greater the negative number, the more severe the osteoporosis. Bone density is within 1 SD (+1 or −1) of the young adult mean. Bone density is between 1 and 2.5 SD below the young adult mean (−1 to −2.5 SD).
While it's true that osteoporosis can cause bones to become brittle and weak, you can take steps to reduce your risk of bone fractures. With the right combination of treatments, you may even be able to reverse the effects of osteoporosis(opens in a new tab) and rebuild stronger bones.
Osteoporosis can be serious. Fractures can alter or threaten your life. A significant number of people have osteoporosis and have hip fractures die within one year of the fracture.
Bone loss begins to occur at an approximate rate of 0.25% a year and is variable depending on many genetic and environmental factors. This may be considered the second stage towards osteopenia and/or osteoporosis. It is important to understand that this is a perfectly normal part of the aging process.
Many people can live well with osteoporosis and avoid breaking bones in the first place. But if you have had fractures, it's important to learn about the steps you can take to maintain a good quality of life.
Romosozumab (Evenity).
This is the newest bone-building medication to treat osteoporosis. It is given as an injection every month at your doctor's office and is limited to one year of treatment.
You can reverse the loss of bone density with medical therapies that may slow, maintain, or even increase your bone density. Your doctor may recommend taking certain medications to prevent or treat bone loss, and some may even help you rebuild bone density.
Vitamin D supplementation may decrease bone turnover and increase bone mineral density. Several randomized placebo-controlled trials with vitamin D and calcium showed a significant decrease in fracture incidence. However, very high doses of vitamin D once per year may have adverse effects.
Just 30 minutes of exercise each day can help strengthen bones and prevent osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercises, such as yoga, tai chi, and even walking, help the body resist gravity and stimulate bone cells to grow. Strength-training builds muscles which also increases bone strength.
Examples of good bone-building exercises including squats, shoulder presses, deadlifts, lunges, push ups, and pull ups. “Yoga moves like downward dog are also great,” she says.