Exercising regularly is one of the effective ways to help us stay healthy. However, for people with weak bones or those suffering from osteoporosis, exercising can be a terrifying idea to stay healthy.
However, don’t let weak bones discourage you from doing workouts that can benefit you. Yes you read it right, there are exercises that can benefit people with weak bones. Doing these exercises regularly will strengthen your muscles which will help protect your bones. Exercising is even a part of any osteoporosis treatment program.
To help you stay healthy and strengthen your bones, here are some tips we will share on how to exercise even if you have weak bones.
Consult Your Doctor
Before you start any exercise program, whether it is part of your treatment or a personal decision, you should schedule a meeting with your doctor first. Your physician might request you to undergo some tests before you are cleared to continue your fitness journey.
The tests likely to be requested are fitness assessment and bone density measurement. A visit to your doctor will also help you know what you must and mustn’t do when exercising. It’s also a great opportunity to discuss your concerns with your healthcare provider. In return, your doctor can also give the answers you need.
Drink Proper Medication
After talking to your doctor, the next thing you should do to increase the safety of exercising with weak bones is to take the prescribed Osteoporosis medication from your physician.
Taking the right medication is vital. Most osteoporosis drugs function by reducing the speed at which your bones deteriorate. Some work by accelerating the process of bone formation. Either method fortifies bone and lowers the chance of fractures.
Follow the instructions given by your doctor concerning your medication.
Remember that medication given to patients with weak bones is based on the test results like bone density test and FRAX score.
Based on your risk variables, the FRAX score calculates the likelihood that you will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture within the next ten years, based on your specific risk variables.
Know the Proper Exercise
While the majority of exercises are beneficial to your health, not all of them are ideal for weak bones. When exercising with osteoporosis, you should opt for those that can help you strengthen your bone.
Don’t risk your safety while exercising • Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Weight-bearing workouts, for instance, can strengthen bones. These workouts include exerting stress on your bones and testing your muscular endurance against gravity. Your body will then get a message from your bones to manufacture more bone-building tissue.
TRX Workouts – How To Strengthen The Whole Body in 30 Minutes
Is it possible to work all the muscles in your body in 30 minutes? Try a training plan, which will help you strengthen your whole body. And moreover, you will enjoy it.
While swimming or hiking can be good exercises for your heart and lungs, they won’t necessarily help you build stronger bones. It would be best if you focused on exercises to give you the best benefits you need without risking your safety.
Identify What to Avoid
Regarding the proper exercise, you must also remember that there are types of exercise that aren’t advisable for you if you have osteoporosis. Here are some exercises and movements that you should avoid if you have this condition:
- High-impact exercises such as Jumping jacks, jumping rope, running, jogging, burpees, and other exercises cause stress to your bones. Always try to avoid abrupt, quick movements.
- Avoid bending and twisting movements. You must watch for exercises that require you to bend forward or even backward in your waist area. Examples of these exercises are sit-ups, stand-and-reach, or sit-and-reach exercises. These movements will increase your chance of having compression fractures on your spine.
- Other activities will require you to bend and twist, like golfing, yoga, and bowling.
- Activities with a high fall risk, like skiing, ice skating, roller skating, and the like
If you are into these types of activities, you should start avoiding them and look for activities that are more friendly to your condition.
What are Core Exercises Good for?
Your CORE is essentially all the muscles in the trunk of your body. How to work out your Core? What is the best Core exercise? Here are the reasons why it’s Important to work your entire Core.
Educate Yourself About Osteoporosis
Aside from being up to date with your health status through regular visits to your physician, you must also educate yourself about your condition, especially if you plan to engage in an active lifestyle.
The more you understand your condition, your therapies, your feelings, and the most effective strategies to design a healthy lifestyle that meets your specific requirements, the better.
If you know more about osteoporosis, you will also easily know what you should and shouldn’t do. Without the proper education about your condition, you will have a wrong belief and illness perception that will cost you your mental health or, worse, put you at risk. It’s also advisable to seek the right information from a valid source that will give you nothing but facts.
Valid sources can be your physician or other health care providers that have experience in dealing with different bone conditions. If you choose to conduct your research online, ensure that you will only trust studies or legitimate websites. Moreover, whatever you find in your research must be discussed with your healthcare provider.
In Conclusion
Exercising is not prohibited if you have osteoporosis. What you will need to do is to ensure your safety and choose the right exercises for your condition. Now that you know what you can do to make your active lifestyle safer for your condition, you should start planning your exercise routine, burning those extra calories, and strengthening your bones and muscles.
