Osteoporosis Health

Small slips and trips, managing many tasks at once and having a lot on your mind can all increase your risk of falls. Living with osteoporosis, falls come with a greater risk of fracturing your bones. Osteoporosis causes bones to become thinner and more fragile. The fact that the bones are more brittle increases your risk of fractures. Osteoporosis affects 33% of women and 20% of men at some point in their life. PhysioMax Wellness offers our Healthy Bones program to maintain or improve your current bone density and keep you fit enough to avoid the possibility of fracture.

Osteoporosis vs Osteopenia

Osteoporosis and osteopenia are very similar. They both are defined by the loss of bone density. Osteoporosis is more severe that osteopenia. Someone with osteopenia is at risk for fractures but their risk of developing a fracture is less than someone with osteoporosis. Your bone density can be determined with a bone density scan. Ask your doctor today if you could benefit from a scan.

Healthy Bones Program

Our Healthy Bones Program is based around postural, resistance, and balance exercises to strengthen muscles and increase bone density.

Posture Exercises

Posture exercises are beneficial to ensure that you naturally have a strong spine. In order to exercise effectively and minimize the chance of fractures or other injuries, your postural is absolutely crucial. The more you complete postural strengthening exercises, the easier it will be for your body to protect your spine when you complete exercises and daily activities of life.

Resistance Exercises

Resistance exercises strengthen muscles AND bones and are beneficial for improving bone density. Core exercises are a common resistance exercise for everyone. With osteoporosis, it is best to complete core exercises that activate the transverse abdominus muscle. Exercises that crunch or twist the spine must be avoided.

Balance Exercises

Incorporating balance exercises into your daily life decreases your risks of slips, trips and falls. Balance exercises can be done everyday and can only be more beneficial the more your complete them.

What to consider when exercising with Osteoporosis:

No loading your spine in a bent or twisted position
Maintain a neutral spine and good posture with ALL exercises
Avoid exercises that crunch or load the spine
Brace your core to ensure a strong neutral spine

Julia de Reijke RKin, CSEP-CPT, BASc Kinesiology (Hons), DipFTHP