Table of Contents
I prepared these osteoporosis guidelines for my clients because I believe that health education is key to a healthy life.
I spend a lot of my time with my clients explaining key concepts related to their bone health and I use this blog (as well as my books) as a reference tool. The challenge for my clients is that there are so many articles on various osteoporosis topics. I decided that I needed to create these osteoporosis guidelines to house these articles.
Osteoporosis Guidelines
Hi. Welcome to MelioGuide. I’m Margaret Martin. Today, I want to cover the osteoporosis guidelines and exercise.
Fear of a Fracture
When many of my clients receive the diagnosis of osteoporosis, they tell me:
- “I don’t know what to do.”
- “What if I do something wrong that causes a compression fracture?”
- “I’m afraid I’m going to break.”
They might feel pain in their neck and think that the low bone density score in their DEXA is the cause of the pain and not realize that the score has to do with the density of bone in neck of their femur.
Empowerment Through Education
I created this website to educate my clients so they could be more informed, reduce their fear, and become empowered.
My goals with this site are to teach you how to:
- Move safely.
- Do strength training exercises that are safe for you and help you build bone.
- Choose the right weight bearing exercises.
- Select the most appropriate flexibility exercises, so you can enjoy the stretch without feeling that you are putting your spine at risk.
- Improve your posture.
- Prevent a fall and boost your balance.
Osteoporosis Guidelines: More Than Exercise
These osteoporosis guidelines cover more than exercise. I provide you with essential information on type of equipment to manage your osteoporosis. There are blog posts devoted to weighted vests, vibration platforms, and hip protectors.
Many people ask me my opinion on pharmaceuticals and nutrition. I invite leading medical professionals to answer your questions on these topics.
There are resources for individuals who have osteoporosis and cancer, or people had polio when they were a child. I address osteoporosis within special populations.
Let’s get started!
Osteoporosis Exercise and Bone Health
Over the years I have produced a large number of articles on osteoporosis exercise. That should not come as a surprise since I spend a lot of time with clients with osteoporosis and design exercise programs that help them with their bone health. I am also the author of two books on exercise and osteoporosis: Exercise for Better Bones and Yoga for Better Bones.
An osteoporosis exercise program should include a combination of flexibility, postural, strength, weight-bearing and balance exercises. Different people have different needs so the exact combination can vary dramatically.
Here are two video tutorials that explain key concepts related to exercise and bone health:
Here are a number of articles on osteoporosis exercise for you to read:
Bone Quality and Bone Density
When I first meet a new client, I find that many are focussed on bone density and how to increase it. This is not a surprise since many people understand osteoporosis to be a thinning of bone or a reduction in bone density. They ask: how can I increase bone density? This should be a good thing, right?
Instead, I get them to consider bone quality and what they can do about that. I felt it was important to call this topic out in these osteoporosis guidelines. In this section you will find several articles that discuss this topic in some detail.
Osteoporosis Nutrition
Good nutrition plays a key role in the health of your bones and the topic deserves its due attention in these osteoporosis guidelines. In this section we will cover the role of calcium, Vitamin D, and other nutritional essentials.
- Vitamin K2 for Osteoporosis
- Milk and Osteoporosis: Does Milk Prevent Osteoporosis?
- Nitrate Rich Food Items and Your Bone Health
- Calcium Rich Diet Plan with 10 Non Dairy Choices
- A Diet Plan for Osteoporosis
- Prunes for Osteoporosis
- Creatine for Bones
- Sodium and Osteoporosis
- Omega 3 Osteoporosis and Exercise
- Protein and Bone Health
- Bone Health Diet Plan
- Calcium Supplements for Osteoporosis
- Can Probiotics Stop Bone Loss?
Osteoporosis Pharmaceuticals
These osteoporosis guidelines would not be complete without touching on the role of pharmaceuticals as a treatment option for osteoporosis.
For many people, they first learn that they have osteoporosis after they visit their doctor and receive the results of a DEXA bone mineral density test. Their physician prescribes a pharmaceutical and for a number of people this starts them on a search. They are concerned about the effects of a pharmaceutical intervention and want to find alternative treatment approaches. Many wisely learn that they need to make lifestyle modifications and make exercise part of their daily routine.
Here are several articles I have posted on pharmaceuticals.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
Hormones play a critical role in the health of your bones and this is why I have included a section on hormone replacement therapy in these osteoporosis guidelines. In this series, I document my personal exploration with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.
I also did a review of a book I read on hormone replacement therapy. I found this book to be a very useful resource and recommend it to my clients and readers.
Osteoporosis Equipment
Some clients need specific equipment to help them build bone, reduce fracture risk, and improve balance. In these osteoporosis guidelines I felt I should have a section dedicated to osteoporosis equipment. Here it is.
Weighted Vests and Belts for Osteoporosis Exercise
I encourage those of my clients that need the additional weight-bearing to invest in a weighted vest for osteoporosis exercise. Over the years, I have tried many weighted vests and many clients have shown me their vests. Some are better than others and I have a list of the ones I recommend below.
Here is the article you should read on using a weighted vest. It includes exercises you can do with a weighted vest:
I Recommend These Weighted Vests
I have tried and reviewed many weighted vests. Here are the two I recommend for my clients:
Hip Protectors
I have several clients who use hip protectors to shield themselves in case of a fall. Hip protectors are frequently used by frail clients but they are also very popular with very active clients who ski and hike and want that extra bit of protection in case of a loss of balance.
Here are several articles on hip protectors:
- Hip Protectors
- Posey Hip Protectors
Vibration Platforms
Vibration platforms have gained popularity as a bone building technique. Here are several posts I have written on the topic.
- Power Plate Review
- Does Whole Body Vibration Therapy Prevent Osteoporosis?
- Juvent 1000 Dynamic Motion Therapy Platform
Other Equipment
I discuss other types of equipment on my blog to help with balance, bone building, posture and exercise.
Special Populations and Osteoporosis Guidelines
Osteoporosis is not an isolated condition. Often people have other medical conditions and considerations. In this section of osteoporosis guidelines, we explore several special populations.
Cancer and Osteoporosis
I asked Mary-Ann Dalzell, recently retired clinical director at the Segal Cancer Centre in Montreal, to discuss cancer and bone health.
Post Polio
Osteoporosis Exercise Plan
Over the years, I have captured many of these exercises on video. This format works well because I can get into some of the subtle but important details of each of the exercises. I have created a separate page for the osteoporosis exercise plan.
Compression Fracture Management
I see many clients who have experienced a compression fracture (also known as a vertebral fracture). Sadly, I find many are uninformed when it comes to managing their vertebral compression fractures. I hope that this section answers some questions you might have.
