Osteoporosis Management: Exercise & Physical Therapy
Osteoporosis is a common bone condition that causes a thinning and weakening of bones. It is characterized by low bone density (low bone thickness), decreased bone strength, and a change in bone structure. While it can affect those of any age, women are at the greatest risk of developing the disease. Fifty-five percent of Americans age fifty or over are affected by osteoporosis, which heightens the risk of bone fractures.
How Osteoporosis Occurs
Bone is living tissue that is constantly breaking down and rebuilding. Normal bone structure normally thins and becomes porous as we age. However, in osteoporosis, more bone is broken down than built up, leading to thinning of the bones. This lessens the bone’s ability to withstand typical forces from daily living and can result in fractures from everyday situations that would not normally happen with healthy bones, such as breaking a hip or wrist from a fall or breaking a rib opening the window or after receiving a hug. Such fractures are called fragility fractures.
Risk factors that increase the risk of developing osteoporosis include: female gender, small frame, advanced age, hormone levels, genetics, certain medical conditions (celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or cystic fibrosis), medications such as steroids, alcohol and smoking, inactive lifestyle, excessive caffeine intake, lack of weight-bearing exercise, low weight, and a low calcium and Vitamin-D diet.
Physical Therapy for Osteoporosis
Exercise, particularly weight-bearing exercise, is essential for preventing and treating osteoporosis. Bone mass peaks during the third decade of life. However, by remaining physically active, you can prevent bone loss as you age as exercise helps to maintain bone health, build bone, and slow bone loss. If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, it’s important to engage in targeted exercise training to build muscle strength, coordination, balance, and functional capacity. This improves skeletal and fall-related risk factors.
Exercise training is the only strategy that improves all modifiable fracture risk factors: bone strength, fall risk, and fall impact. It is important to perform the correct types of exercises and avoid those exercises that can put you at risk of injury. Research has found that engaging in multi-modal exercise treatments is important: short bouts of diverse weight-bearing and impact-loading activities, progressive resistance training that targets the muscles of the hip and spine, and balance and mobility activities. Weight-bearing exercises means exercises that work against gravity to strengthen bones, whereas balance exercises help you to hold yourself upright and flexibility exercises keep muscles limber and joints mobile.
Cardiovascular workouts that involve bearing weight
High-impact weight-bearing exercise: brisk walking, dancing, climbing stairs, hiking, tennis, or yard work*
Low-impact weight-bearing exercise: elliptical training, low-impact aerobics, stair-step machines, or Pilates
*High-impact weight-bearing exercises should only be done under consultation from your doctor or physical therapist if you are at a higher risk for falls or broken bones.
Strengthening resistance exercises, using free weights, weight machines, or floor exercise
Stretching: lengthening tight muscles through gentle stretching to reduce back pain and promote good spinal mechanics
A physical therapist can help you safely and effectively engage in exercise training to manage your osteoporosis, maximize bone and spine health, and minimize injury risk. An analysis revealed that a program focusing on balance, strength, and resistance training reduced the odds of falls that result in fractures by more than 60%.
Physical therapy treatment for osteoporosis includes:
a comprehensive exercise program that strengthens bones and muscles to lessen the risk of injury, build bone, and decrease the amount of bone loss
strength-training exercises of all major muscle groups to improve posture and maintain bone density
weight-bearing aerobic exercise on your feet with your bones supporting your weight in order to slow mineral loss and improve cardiovascular health
flexibility and stretching exercises to move joints through the full range of motion
teach proper body movement in daily activities, such as bending and lifting
assess balance and develop balance program to help muscles work together to keep you stable
posture education and improvement
If you have osteoporosis or are concerned you may be at risk for osteoporosis, we can help you safely engage in an exercise program to restore healthy movement, function, and bone strength.
