Osteoporosis and Physiotherapy
You may be visiting this page to learn more about how physiotherapy can help with your new or recent diagnosis of osteoporosis or osteopenia. It can be scary at first, but there are plenty of things physiotherapists can do to optimise bone and muscle strength, reduce fall and fracture risk, and improve posture and pain symptoms. It is important to understand that you are not alone as 137 million women, and 21 million men have a high risk of an osteoporotic fracture worldwide (Brooke-Wavell et al., 2022). You might not know where to begin but scheduling an appointment with a physiotherapist can be a great first step. Physiotherapists can guide you, answer your questions, and create an individualised program to help manage your osteoporosis or osteopenia.
Is Exercise Safe?
Yes! Recent evidence indicates that exercise and physical activity do not significantly increase the risk for further injuries or fractures. The benefits of exercise outweigh the risks. In general, any bit of exercise can make a difference. Inactivity should be avoided (Brooke-Wavell et al., 2022).
What type of exercise should I be doing?
You can include a wide variety of activities, but a mix of weight bearing, strength training, and balance exercises is recommended. Together, they help reduce fragility fractures and improve well-being and self-esteem. A recent consensus statement by Brooke-Wavell et al. (2022), provided the below advice:
Weight bearing/Impact exercises
Activities include low impact exercises such as walking, standing, stair climbing, and/or higher impact activities like jogging, stamping or jumping/hopping. These can be done individually, or during sports and hobbies.
They should be done most days for about 50 moderate impacts, and include a variety of movements, speeds, and directions.
These types of activities help promote strong bones.
Strength Training
You should include exercises that target your full body (arms, core, spine, legs, and hips) using weights, resistance bands or even body weight. This should be done 2-3 days a week building up to 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions.
Examples of exercises include: wall press, bicep curls, overhead press, squats, and sit to stands.
Exercises can be done alone, or included in other activities like circuit training classes, pilates, and even heavy housework.
These exercises help to build muscle to build stronger bones and improve posture and pain symptoms.
Balance Exercises
Balance activities can include things like heel raises, standing on one leg, walking/ balancing on uneven surfaces, or even sit to stands or lunges.
It is important to complete these a minimum of 2-3 days per week and aim to hold each exercise for as long as you can.
These will help to improve your balance resulting in improved confidence and fewer falls.
What type of activities should I avoid?
In general, patients with osteoporosis should avoid end range flexion/ bending activities of the spine or rotational exercises. It is also good to utilise the hip hinge, straight back, and proper lifting techniques to allow you to continue as many activities as you can. In general, movements should feel smooth and controlled (Brooke-Wavell et al., 2022).
Why should I meet with a physiotherapist?
It is important to follow the basic guidelines for exercise, but this should not replace the advice of a medical professional. It is recommended to consult an expert prior to beginning a new exercise program. An individual consultation with a physiotherapist allows them to listen to your concerns, and adapt a program to your specific goals, lifestyle activities, and fall and fracture history.
At Ballsbridge Physiotherapy in Dublin 4, we frequently see patients with an osteoporosis or osteopenia diagnosis and help manage and treat disease progression and symptoms. Elizabeth Bovich runs our Stronger for Longer class that includes all the above exercise principles to enable safe and effective exercise for those with osteoporosis under the eye of a skilled physiotherapist. If a class is not for you, we can schedule a 1:1 appointment to customise and go through a specific exercise program that you can do on your own and answer any questions you may have. A 1:1 appointment is also recommended prior to starting class sessions. If interested in any of the above, do not hesitate to call or email today, or you can book and appointment online. We are always happy to talk with you and determine which service best suits your needs.
*This above information is for education or informative purposes and should not replace individual medical advice. Please consult a health professional with any questions or concerns*
References and Resources
Brooke-Wavell K, Skelton DA, Barker KL, et al. Strong, steady and straight: UK consensus statement on physical activity and exercise for osteoporosis British Journal of Sports Medicine Published Online First: 16 May 2022. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2021-104634