Archive for the ‘Weight-bearing exercise’ Category
-
Consumer Reports busts myths about exercise
Hi from Susie!
I love this! Consumer Reports separates exercise fact from fiction in this Washington Post piece. It’s a rare article on exercise that has it all right and this one does. It’s short and sweet, so check it out!
Of course, my favorite point is that strength training for women is so important for your bones and muscles! But, one of the most important pieces of information is that even if you get enough daily exercise, if you sit for the rest of the day it’s not great for your health. Find ways to be on your feet during the day. Stand up while you’re reading this! I’m standing while I type this, honest!
Here’s how to make it work:
Get your computer UP to a standing level, whether it’s on a stand, a banker’s box, or a laptop on the kitchen counter. I have a laptop stand that keeps my screen at eye level which helps me keep good posture while typing. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. Before I had the stand (which my husband made from scrap lumber, hooks & a bungee cord), I used piles of books.
It helps me be on my feet at least 4 hours a day, turning office work into osteoporosis prevention exercise! Research show that people have stronger bones if they’re on their feet a minimum of 4 hours per day, keeping osteoporosis at bay. It’s fabulous to get movement in while working and not have to add more “exercise” time to your day. So, use your creativity and get in your daily dose of movement! You’ll feel soooo much better when you do!
-
Create your bone health team!
Susie's tips for exercising safely with osteoporosis.
I was reading in the NOF’s ( National Osteoporosis Foundation’s) online Osteoporosis Community forum today about concern over what exercises are safe for those with osteoporosis. It tugs on my heart strings when I hear the dismay of those, newly diagnosed with osteoporosis, wondering if they should even exercise. As a personal trainer and group strength training instructor, here are the steps that I’ve found to be helpful for folks in that situation.
1. Create your bone health team, starting with your health care provider! Get her input before embarking on any new exercise program. Ask him if any exercises are contraindicated for you AND if you have any weight restrictions with your strength training. The NOF, (National Osteoporosis Foundation) recommends lifting no more than 10 pounds; that’s 5 pounds in each hand, until you’ve discussed any limitations with your health care provider. Your limit may be more or less than 10 pounds.
2. Get a referral to a physical therapist, specializing in osteoporosis, to individualize your exercise program.
3. Ideally, see a registered dietician to make sure that your diet is providing all of the bone building nutrients that you need.
4. Seek out a certified Personal Trainer, (cPT), knowledgeable in bone health and osteoporosis. Check the IDEA Fitness Connect, online to find one in your area. Doing strength training twice a week for life will keep you strong and help put the brakes on bone loss. Find a group, find a trainer, make it social, make it fun and you’ll make it happen!
5. Educate yourself! The research done on strength training and bone density shows very encouraging news. Overall, those who strength trained gained 1% bone mass. The control groups that didn’t, lost between 2% and 5% bone density. So, even though the gains are modest, they can accrue over time. And, strength training is not just about building bone density. It’s about building balance, coordination, and agility so that you don’t fall down. Many fractures, especially of the hip and wrist, can be avoided if you simply don’t fall down. To avoid spinal wedge fractures, standing up straight can make a huge difference.
6. Check out the “Moving Safely” page of the National Osteoporosis Foundation! It is a very thorough discussion with illustrations of safe and unsafe movements for those with osteoporosis and low bone density, often called osteopenia.
7. Watch the NOF’s Consumer Webinar Series, “Healthy Bones, Build Them for Life® Webinar Series.” They are excellent!
8. Be sure to read my blog and sign up for my newsletter. I share the fun that I have exercising with my pals. I review books, read research daily on bone health, and send the best of the news to my clients to keep them up on the latest in safe exercise for osteoporosis and safe exercise for women over 50. I’ll do my best to keep you inspired to move and stay strong!
None of my advice should be used as a substitute for medical advice. Start first with your health care provider!
-
Women’s Strength Training for Osteoporosis Prevention: It’s more than just about bone density.
Jody Loin & Deb Arnold strength train for better balance, agility, and strength for cross-country skiing.
Most fractures occur from a fall. Scientists are mentioning more often now that, yes, strength training can help slow bone loss, but an equally important bonus is the improvement in agility, balance, and strength that all aid in preventing falls and subsequent fractures.
One of my class participants, Diane Porter, loves that fact that she has stopped falling down since starting strength training. She used to fall quite often and now finds that she is quicker on her feet, has better balance, as well as the strength to catch herself if she does trip.
Balance tends to decline as we age, just like muscle strength and bone density. Research has shown that strength training helps build back balance, agility, and strength from challenging muscles’ motor units: nerve cells attached to groups of muscle cells. Every time that you contract a muscle with strength training, the motor unit nerves send a signal to the brain and back to the muscle fibers, strengthening neural pathways to help you stay upright, strong, and agile.
It is also very interesting that women in the over-50 group don’t actually trip more than younger people. All ages can stumble, but the older we are, the more falls we have because of lessened agility, balance, and strength. (Consciously picking your feet up higher can also help! Don’t shuffle!!)
It is so important to stay strong and agile because hip fractures can often be prevented, whether or not you have low bone density, if you simply don’t fall down. Staying on your feet can be a life-saving skill! It’s a good idea to do whatever it takes to make strength training and weight-bearing exercise a part your weekly routine to slow down bone loss and be able to stay on your feet.
-
Make an Exercise Resolution & Make it a Lifestyle!
My daughter's Christmas gift to me...hand painted!
Everyone seems to like to be motivated, especially when they’re making New Year’s Resolutions, to exercise more. The most common reason for embarking on an exercise program is to lose weight. However, I have found it very interesting that keeping bones strong is a big motivator for many women to make strength training and cardiovascular (heart healthy) exercise a permanent part of their lifestyle.
Besides being great for the bones, here are 10 more reasons to strength train:
- Increase lean body mass (muscle) quickly, in only 2 strength training sessions per week.
- Fat loss! With more muscle, your cardiovascular and strength workouts will be more intense, making them a better calorie burning workout.
- Increases glucose uptake, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Great for your heart! Decreases resting blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Read the rest of this entry »
Free Newsletter
Recent Blog Posts
- Consumer Reports busts myths about exercise
- Q & A: 2 or 4-5 strength workouts a week?
- Create your bone health team!
- Women’s Strength Training for Osteoporosis Prevention: It’s more than just about bone density.
- Make an Exercise Resolution & Make it a Lifestyle!
- Twice-a-week strength training best for over-50 group
- Q & A: What exercises should we do and when?
- Nutrient Timing: It’s not just WHAT you eat, but WHEN you eat it!
- DDM: Daily Dose of Movement
- Make time for 2 types of exercise!
- Exercise Guidelines & Precautions
- Time for just 1 kind of exercise? Strength Train!
- Pay attention to your bones!
- NOF International Symposium on Osteoporosis trip
- Excess visceral fat can be a risk factor for low bone mass.
Categories
- Bone health
- Daily Dose of Movement(c)
- Fitness & Health
- Healthy Weight
- Nutrition
- Osteopenia
- Osteoporosis
- Q & A
- Strength Training for Osteoporosis Prevention
- Strength Training for Women
- Weight-bearing exercise