Osteoporosis (and its precursor, osteopenia) is a loss of bone mass that makes it much easier for bones to fracture. While osteoporosis is very common in elderly people, it is entirely preventable. One of the most important ways to prevent osteoporosis is exercise. An inactive lifestyle, poor posture, poor balance, and weak muscles all encourage the loss of bone mass, whereas exercise lowers the rate at which bone density is lost. Each exercise programme to combat osteoporosis will be different, as it depends on a variety of factors, such as age, severity of osteoporosis, fitness, medication, and other medical concerns. Because of this, it is worthwhile to visit a personal trainer in order to determine what sort of regimen is right for you. If you have severe osteoporosis, always consult your doctor before beginning or altering your exercise regimen. Generally, the exercises that are best for treating osteoporosis are:
Swimming and water-based exercises are not suitable for improving bone density, since the buoyancy of the water counteracts gravity. However, if you have severe osteoporosis and other exercises are beyond your current capabilities, this is a good place to start. Similarly, walking is not a great exercise, unless it is done at fast pace, for extended periods of time, or on difficult terrain, but it is a good place to start to slowly introduce exercise. If you have osteoporosis there are certain exercises that you should avoid, as they risk causing a fracture. Exercises that involve sudden, forceful movement, exercises that involve forceful twisting, exercises that involve forward flexion of the spine (such as sit-ups), or exercises that are likely to make you fall are all dangerous if you have osteoporosis. There is no perfect amount of exercise for people with osteoporosis since there are many variables, but you should aim for:
Always begin your exercise routine at a low level, and slowly increase the intensity as you build strength. Jumping straight into intensive exercise isn’t going to help, and is more likely to actually cause a fracture, since your body is unaccustomed to the effort. Exercise is only one part of increasing bone density. Osteoporosis is caused by a calcium deficiency, so you will need to adjust your diet in conjunction with exercise in order to reduce your risk of fractures. A diet rich in calcium and vitamin D that includes foods such as fish, dairy, eggs, mushrooms, and tofu will go a long way to restoring bone density. Avoid alcohol and smoking as much as possible since this affects your bones, and ask your doctor about taking calcium or vitamin D supplements. If you suspect you have osteoporosis or osteopenia, you can undergo a bone density test. These tests are cheap, painless, and the professionals that administer the test can answer any further questions you have regarding brittle bones. A combination of diet and exercise can work wonders to reduce the symptoms of osteoporosis, or even prevent it from happening in the first place. You can find a bone density test here. You can find more information here.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |