Do You Recognize the 3 Main Trouble Spots for Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis can affect any bone in your body. It is a condition where bone becomes less dense and porous, making it brittle. This is why fractures can happen even with the slightest pressure or load. I have patients who broke a hip just by standing up from a seated position.
The most common trouble is the wrist, spine, and hips. As the population grows older, the condition is becoming more widespread. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, about 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and another 44 million have low bone density.
Osteoporosis is the thins the bone as we age. This is because there is not much impact and loading on bones as people become more sedentary. The bones become thinner and more brittle. It develops over time. The symptoms may be unnoticed until a bone fracture happens.
Use this quick guide to strengthen your bones and lower your risks for osteoporosis.
Caring for Your Wrists
A broken wrist is often an early sign of osteoporosis.That is especially true if the injury was caused by only minor force. For women, a Colle’s fracture is very common.
Be mindful of your wrist position.Practice holding your wrists flat rather than letting them bend backward while typing or lifting objects. This will guard against carpal tunnel syndrome and related injuries.
Towel wringing. There are many exercises that can strengthen your wrist. In addition to dumbbell exercises, there are some moves you can do anywhere to condition your wrists. Grab a towel by each end and twist it tightly. Hold for 5 seconds. Do this in both directions.
Squeeze a ball. Another option is holding a ball in your palm and squeezing it with your fingers. Point your middle finger towards the center of your wrist to minimize joint stress.
(Hold and squeeze the ball, hold for 5 – 10 seconds each time, then relax. Repeat for as many as you are able to tolerate. While watching TV, waiting in line, etc.
Caring for Your Spine
***Almost 700,000 people a year experience vertebral compression fractures, and there may be no noticeable discomfort. These injuries are almost twice as common as broken hips or wrists.***
Warning signs. You can spot compression fractures if you know what to look for. Symptoms include sudden loss of height, difficulty breathing, a protruding stomach, and soreness in your lower back.
Strengthen your core. Strengthening and firming up your abdominal muscles can take a load off your back. Engage your abs during workouts and daily tasks like carrying groceries.
Be careful when bending forward. If you already have osteoporosis, bending forward can contribute to spine and hip fractures. Your doctor may recommend you use a pick-up cane so you can clean the house and pick up your keys while standing up.
Caring for Your Hips
Broken hips can trigger long-term health issues and interfere with independent living. More than 95% of hip fractures are caused by falling, according to the CDC.
Work on improving your balance.There are many ways to increase your balance and coordination. Sign up for Tai Chi or yoga classes. Take turns standing on one leg at a time. Keep your eyeglass prescription updated and play it safe with medications that make you drowsy.
Strengthen your legs.Powerful legs can help you stay on your feet. Train them with squats, lunges, and calf raises.
Make home adaptations. Modify your home with safety in mind. Install grab bars in the bathroom and extra lights in the backyard. Ensure that each stairway has secure rails on both sides.
⇒ MORE IMPORTANT TIPS:
Prompt medical treatment and lifestyle changes can make a big difference in keeping your bones healthy. Genetics alone is not enough to rely on to determine your risk factors for osteoporosis.
Consult with your doctor. Your doctor can prescribe bone and health screenings & diagnostics to evaluate your individual situation. Your health team then will be able to help you manage your risk factors and design a safe exercise program.
Eat calcium-rich foods.Calcium and Vitamin D are two important nutrients for your bones. Consider including dairy products and fortified breakfast cereal in your diet.
Add intensity to your workouts. Make sure it is the right type of exercise for your fitness level, however. Walking is good for your posture and your heart. More challenging activities are required to make an impact on your bone mass. Bone responds accordingly to the loads placed on it. Do strength training gradually and safely, increasing the amount of weight you use. Consult with a physical therapist. Physical Therapists are skilled at evaluating your fitness level and the type of therapeutic exercises appropriate for you. It is necessary to take any comorbidities into consideration.
Get on the ball with osteoporosis prevention. Fighting osteoporosis can help you to live longer and more independently in your golden years. Work with your doctor to take care of your bones by building up their strength and density with targeted exercises and healthy lifestyle choices.
How one determined lady lives a quality life against the odds….
Scoliosis is a deviation or severe curvature in the spine that can develop from an abnormal shift that can be developed from bad posture and unhealthy postural habits.
It affects children. In kids ages 10-12, there are over three million new cases diagnosed each year, as published in a John Hopkins Medicine article.
Scoliosis can develop from the degeneration of the lumbar spine caused by normal wear and tear. Osteoarthritis is also a common cause. It is also common in the elderly as the spine deteriorates from degenerative disc disease. This will also have developed since adolescence but was undetected. furthermore, most cases of scoliosis have no known cause,
A common problem due to degenerative changes in the spine and common in the adult population, I see this a lot in the clinical setting. Complaints from individuals including back pain, sciatica, and functional decline due to anxiety with functional activities from anticipating pain.
Here, I want to share Ms. Carol’s story about her personal journey with this condition. I admire her tenacity as she continues to take charge of her own wellness despite her physical problems. Carol L., has been a patient of mine for over a decade. She is very active in life. She volunteers at a local zoo engage in social and community service activities, joins exercise classes and continues to live her life to its fullest. As told to me, this is her story, verbatim. This is exactly how she wrote it.
“I am 74 years old, and I have been living with scoliosis for the last twenty years or so. A recent x-ray described my spine as follows; “Marked thoracolumbar scoliosis convexity to the left, some 74 degrees.” I’ve been told that I could have been in a wheelchair with this kind of curvature. Instead, I am active, healthy, and flexible.
But, I’ve had to work – consistently – over the last 20 years to maintain my strength and flexibility.
Scoliosis is degenerative, so things change. Scoliosis itself doesn’t hurt – it’s the way it pulls the rest of the body (spine, pelvis, hips, shoulders) out of alignment, causing sore everything and often pinched nerves. It hurts to move, so you don’t! That’s the problem.
My first major episode was a pinched sciatic nerve in about 1995, and I thought I would never walk again. Doctors wanted to prescribe drugs and bed rest. I chose to see a chiropractor. The adjustments would not hold, and I was referred to a physical therapist. After about three physical therapists, I finally found someone who understood my problem and said – Ha! Your pelvis is out of alignment! Let’s work on core strength and stabilize the pelvis.
It’s essential to work on physical therapy, understand the problem, and continue to do the exercises. But, life happens, so you slack off your workouts, you get older, and your curve gets worse. So on and off, I’ve been back in real therapy-each time focusing a little differently on scoliosis, and of course, arthritis!
I have been fortunate to see the same physical therapist – someone who understands the problem and is not afraid to make me work! Staying active – moving – is critical. I’ve tried almost every medication in the market without much success – so I’ve not taken any medication for a long time.
The last episode had been complicated by moderately severe stenosis (according to my MRI), causing nerve pain, and I finally got a steroid injection. With that relief, and some new strengthening and stretching exercises from my physical therapist, I’ve been able to manage the pain reasonably well and achieve much better posture! Now, my focus is on maintaining strength AND flexibility, AND posture! I do a little routine in the morning to get ready for the day. You know when you are out of alignment – you hurt!
The June 2017 issue of Consumer reports says that growing research shows that a combination of ‘hands-on therapy’ (Yoga, Tai Chi, massage, physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic) is more effective than drugs or surgery. I do them all (well, almost all), and it works!
Am I pain-free?? No. Have I been pain-free for the last 20 years? No. But it’s manageable with the exercises, I can do pretty much anything I want to do – walk, climb stairs, stand for hours, volunteer, travel, etc. My therapist warns me I’m getting old and have to be more careful about breaking bones and causing serious injury – so I’m trying to take it a little easier – but not too much!”
– By Carol L. (written 5/31/2018)
It is always possible to make adjustments to inabilities, and one can still live a productive life despite physical challenges. I have so much admiration for this hardworking lady who grabs the bull by its horn and just so inspiring to know!
She was back again for PT this year, for back pain; not a lot of complaints this time, mostly concerned with her R hip and leg. As always, she always gets better and returns to usual activities. She still actively goes to the gym and does her usual volunteer work at the Brevard Zoo 2 days a week.
It was a great pleasure to see her again overcome her difficulties..
