|
Types of Exercise good for
bones |
Types of Exercise to Avoid |
| step aerobics |
running/jogging |
| water aerobics |
basketball |
| walking |
skiing |
| tai chi and low
impact martial arts |
tennis |
| dancing |
bowling |
| hiking |
|
| swimming |
weight lifting |
Weight bearing exercises
are those that
require the body to perform work.
Examples of aerobic exercises that help
include walking, water aerobics (also
known as aqua aerobics) and step
aerobics.
These include activities you do on your
feet with your bones supporting your
weight. Walking, jogging and stair
climbing are examples. They work
directly on the bones in your legs, hips
and lower spine to slow mineral loss. If
you have osteoporosis, walking —
preferably at least a mile a day — is
generally the best weight-bearing
exercise because it minimizes jarring to
your bones.
Aerobic exercises
are designed
for weight loss and muscular redesign
and therefore place less demand on the
skeleton. A further benefit of aerobic
exercise is that, if done correctly, it
is a low-impact exercise—better for
joints and bones. Water aerobics, in
particular, has minimal impact on bones
and joints. In addition to aerobic
exercises, Tai Chi and other similar
martial arts, dancing and hiking are
encouraged.
Resistance training
Also called
strength training, resistance training
uses various means of resistance, such
as free weights, weight machines,
elastic bands and water exercises, to
strengthen the muscles and bones in your
arms and upper spine. It can also work
directly on your bones to slow mineral
loss. If you have osteoporosis, you'll
need the assistance of your doctor or
physical therapist to design a
strength-training program that includes
proper techniques and is appropriate for
your degree of bone loss.
Back-strengthening exercises
These
exercises primarily work on muscles
rather than bone. Research indicates
that strengthening your back muscles may
help treat osteoporosis by maintaining
or improving posture. That's because the
stooped posture caused by osteoporotic
compression fractures may cause
increased pressure along your spine,
leading to even more compression
fractures. Exercises that gently arch
your back can strengthen back muscles
while minimizing stress on bones.
Yoga and Pilates for Osteoporosis
It is commonly
stated that activities like yoga and
pilates are not good for building
healthy bones, but like many overly
broad statements, this generalization
bears a closer look. There are many
factors involved in exercise - time,
intensity, frequency and duration to
name a few. To say that yoga is not good
for bone building by itself is not a
true statement. The question to ask is,
What activity is yoga being compared to?
Compared to lying in bed watching TV or
sitting at a PC keying in data, yoga is
probably a great form of bone building
exercise.
There are
many different types of yoga, and some
yoga classes can be pretty intense.
There are yoga poses where you sit or
lay on the floor and relax, and there
are other yoga poses do things like
balance on one foot while holding the
other foot out behind you with one hand.
Postures like the latter one can involve
quite a bit of weight bearing activity.
If you can't do weight lifting exercises
because of scoliosis or fibromyalgia
pain, common conditions in women with
osteoporosis, you may want to consider
trying something less strenuous such as
yoga or pilates
Dance as Exercise
Dancing as
aerobic exercise uses large muscle
groups in a continuous, rhythmic fashion
for sustained periods of time. It is
excellent exercise for people with
osteoporosis because of the action of
"mechanical loading," which is
weight-bearing activity causes your
bones and muscles to work against
gravity to become stronger an denser.
Dancing
can also improve circulation, tone
muscles, and increase flexibility,
coordination and balance. Studies by
the Mayo Clinic show that 10 minutes of
continuous ballroom dancing can burn
30-80 calories in a 120-130 pound
person, and 45-120 calories in someone
weighing 200 pounds.
A slow
foxtrot may be no more difficult than
walking, while 30 minutes of cha cha or
samba provides the equivalent to a
moderate level aerobic workout. As with
any form of exercise, dancing is
beneficial only if done on a regular
basis.
Gardening as Exercise
The physical
activity involved in gardening requires
body movement that expends energy. It's
another form or exercise that can help
slow the loss of muscle mass, reduce
joint and muscle pain, and strengthen
bones. Even short periods of gardening
throughout the day can add up to 30
minutes of moderate physical activity.
Remember to talk to your doctor before
beginning new exercises or activities.
Good body
mechanics--proper posture and correct
movements--will help protect your bones
while you're gardening outdoors. Proper
alignment, the relationship of the head,
shoulder, spine and hips to each other
puts less stress on the spine and helps
good posture. Standing or sitting in a
slumped, head-forward position, bending
forward, or twisting puts stress on your
spine that may be harmful.
Golf: Can I play with
osteoporosis?:
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Golf can be a great
activity that gets you
outdoors and provides
beneficial exercise. The
key is to play with
optimal golf swing
mechanics to reduce
stress on your spine.
Osteoporosis causes
bones to become weak and
brittle, which makes
them susceptible to
fractures with excessive
or repetitive stress.
Optimal golf technique
avoids putting extra
stress on your spine. In
fact, with good
technique, golfing can
be an activity that can
place appropriate stress
on bones to help them
maintain density and
strength. Also, walking
the golf course provides
weight-bearing exercise,
which helps preserve
bone density.
Ask your golf
professional to assess
your golf swing to make
sure it's as good as it
can be. Some facilities
use video analysis to
assess and improve golf
swings. You may also
need an exercise program
specific to your needs
to optimize your swing.
For example, tight hip
muscles can prevent you
from rotating properly
during the swing, which
can lead to excessive
stress on your spine.
---
By Mayo Clinic staff
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Exercise recommendations for
sufferers of vertebral fractures
For people
who have some health impairments
already, including prior
osteoporosis-related fractures,
especially those of the spine,
high-impact exercise is not usually
recommended. Compressive forces are
generated in the spine during
jumping and other jarring movements,
and these may be too much for a
spine already affected by vertebral
compression fractures -- or even
with significant degenerative disk
disease or arthritis unrelated to
osteoporosis. Walking would be
preferred to running in these
patients because one foot is always
on the ground during walking,
whereas during running, both feet
are temporarily in the air with the
entire weight of the body landing on
one foot.
Use caution to avoid:
- bending
forward with a rounded back
- reaching far
up and forward
All of these motions
can produce forces in the vertebral
bones that can facilitate further
compression. Patients with new
grandchildren may find it difficult
to avoid picking up infants and
toddlers. There may be such
inherent benefits to these
activities that they are worth the
risk. They should be done
carefully, however. Any lifting at
all must be done very carefully to
avoid any forward bending or flexion
of the torso; the back must be
totally straight and the legs,
particularly the thighs, must
support the weight with the knees
bent to pick something up from the
floor. Moreover, any significant
pain occurring during any activity
or exercise should make a person
stop right away and should be a sign
that this activity is not the right
one for the individual.
aerobic exercises for sufferers of
vertebral fractures
- elliptical or
moon walker (a lower-impact form
of the treadmill)
- low-impact
aerobic dance or calisthenics
classes
- stepper or
stair-climbing machine
Remember, the goal is to keep moving.
Even the simplest things can make a
difference. For example:
-
get
up during TV commercials and walk
around the room
-
Pace
while you're on the phone, don't
just sit. If you have a cordless
phone, walk around while you talk.
-
Walk
to the TV to change the channel
instead of using the remote control.
-
Park
farther away from your destination
in large parking lots.
-
Explore your neighborhood a block at
a time.
If doing
things with others helps you stay
active, consider joining an exercise
group, like a mall-walkers program, a
walking club, a local dance class, or
find a walking partner to meet at a
regular time each week.
Remember
to be sensible about increasing your
exercise goals and activity level, and
keep a good attitude.
Exercise Tips:
Lift and lower
weights slowly to maximize muscle
strength and minimize the risk of
injury.
It's best to perform
your resistance workout every third day.
This gives your body a chance to
recover.
Avoid
rowing machines--they require deep
forward bending that may lead to a
vertebral fracture.
Stiffness
the morning after exercise is normal.
But if you're in pain most of the
following day, your joints are swollen,
or you're limping, stop the program
until you are again comfortable, and cut
your weights and repetitions by 25% to
50%. If bone, joint, or muscle pain is
severe, call your doctor.
If a
particular area of your body feels sore
right after exercise, apply ice for 10
to 15 minutes. Wrap ice in a towel or
baggie, or just hold a cold can of soda
to the spot.
Vary your
routine to make it more interesting. For
example, if your strength-building
program involves 12 separate exercises,
do six in one session and the other six
in the next
Strong
Women Strong Bones by Miriam Nelson
teaches women
how to
prevent and treat osteoporosis through
exercise
Strongwomen.com -
Your Virtual Trainer with Dr. Miriam
Nelson
National
Osteoporosis Foundation also has an
exercise video available |
