Osteoporosis and exercise recommended by experts

Osteoporosis patients are encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle that is good for bones, one of which is by exercising regularly. However, the type of exercise that you do of course cannot be arbitrary. The most recommended types of exercise for osteoporosis patients are gymnastics and some similar sports. Then, what kind of exercise movements are recommended for patients who experience this movement system disorder?

Gymnastics for osteoporosis

The severity of osteoporosis and the risk of fracture for each person is different, so it's good to find out the severity of the disease from the osteoporosis symptoms that you are experiencing. That way, the doctor can help determine the type of exercise that is suitable.

However, generally, weight training and resistance training are two types of exercise that are recommended for osteoporosis patients. Weight training is a sport that is done using the legs as the support.

This exercise is done against gravity so that the bones and muscles remain erect. This exercise can help the bones to get stronger due to the constant weight and training.

Meanwhile, resistance training is a sport that helps build muscles for stronger bones. This type of exercise is able to slow down bone loss due to this problem that attacks the human skeleton.

Not only that, for people with osteoporosis, this exercise also helps improve body balance. That way, the risk of fractures due to falls can be reduced.

The benefits of both types of exercise can be obtained through sports such as gymnastics for osteoporosis. There are several variations of the recommended exercise movements because they are good for osteoporosis.

Variations in gymnastics for osteoporosis

Here are some exercises that are good for osteoporosis patients and can be done at home:

1. Foot stomps

This gymnastic movement is useful for training the main areas of the body affected by osteoporosis, especially in the hips.

This movement is done while standing, then stomping the ground and imagine that you are destroying the can.

Repeat four times on each leg. Then, replace it with the other leg in the same motion.

2. Shoulder lifts

Shoulder lifts is a movement that is done to strengthen the shoulder area. For osteoporosis patients, this exercise can be done either standing or sitting.

To do this, you will need weights or dumbbells. After that, then do the movement in the following ways:

• Hold the dumbbells in both hands.
• Hands are in the down position and on the side or on the right and left respectively.
• Slowly, raise your hands so that they are straight with your shoulders. May be under it but not more than the shoulder.
• Repeat the movement 8 to 12 times in each set before resting and entering the second set.

3. Harmstring curl

Harmstring curl is a gymnastic movement for osteoporosis that helps strengthen the muscles of the back of the upper leg. This exercise is best done in a standing position. If necessary, place your hands on a firm grip for balance.

The following is a movement guide for doing harmstring curls:

• Open your feet shoulder width apart.
• Lift your left leg towards your butt.
• Then lower it slowly.
• Repeat the movement 8 to 12 times for each leg before resting and moving onto the other leg.

4. Squat

Squats are exercise movements that can strengthen the front legs and buttocks of people with osteoporosis. Here's a guide to the proper squat movement:

• Keep your feet hip-width apart.
• Place your hands on a table or sturdy post for balance if necessary.
• Bend your knees slowly until you are in a half standing position or as if you were going to squat.
• Keep your back straight with your body leaning slightly forward.
• Repeat the movement 8 to 12 times per set.

5. Standing on one leg

This exercise helps improve the balance of the body of people with osteoporosis so that they don't fall easily.

This is important, considering the risk of fractures in people with osteoporosis due to falls is very high. For that, try to practice this gymnastic movement at home by:

• Stand by the pole holding on to it. You can also hold on to a table or anything sturdy
• Then, raise one leg up to chest or stomach level for one minute
• Repeat this exercise on the other leg in the same way

Other exercise options are also good for osteoporosis

Source: Arthritis Health

Apart from osteoporosis exercise, there are several other exercise options for osteoporosis to choose from.

• Aerobics

Aerobics is a sport that is quite safe for people with osteoporosis. Aerobic movements such as dancing and dancing can support spinal density.

Before doing group aerobics, make sure that the instructor knows your body condition. That way, the movements for you will be adjusted.

• Taichi

A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found the benefits of taichi for people with osteoporosis.

Research has found evidence that taichi helps slow down the thinning of bone mass, especially in the spine, thighbone and shin areas.

Not only that, a family doctor and professional tai chi practitioner stated that this exercise reduces the risk of falling. In people with osteoporosis, falls and injuries are among the most dangerous and fatal problems.

• Yoga

Yoga is not only beneficial if it is done by healthy people. However, this one sport is also good for those who have osteoporosis.

Not haphazardly, the effectiveness of yoga is concluded based on findings in research published in Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation.

The researchers found evidence that the bone mineral density of osteoporosis sufferers increased after practicing yoga. The areas of the spine, hips, and thighbones are areas of bone that increase in density.

Although there are many yoga videos circulating on the internet, it's best to do this exercise under expert supervision. The reason is, the yoga movement for healthy people is certainly different from osteoporosis sufferers.

Sports that are prohibited for people with osteoporosis

Although gymnastics and the various sports mentioned above are recommended for sports sufferers, there are types of exercise that should be avoided if you don't want to worsen the condition of porous bones. Among others are:

• Golf

The twisting movements you perform while golfing can exacerbate osteoporosis in the spine. This movement also has the potential to put a heavier load on the joints and spinal discs. This can make the fracture more prone to occur.

• Sit ups, roll front, and roll back

Not all exercise movements are allowed for osteoporosis patients. One of them is the following floor exercise. Yes, sit ups, roll front, and roll back is prohibited for people who experience bone loss.

The reason is, people with osteoporosis are at risk of experiencing fractures in the joints of their bodies. Moving and flexing the spine forward can run the risk of making movements that aggravate osteoporosis.

Therefore, if you want to do gymnastics and other sports as a companion to osteoporosis treatment, you still have to ask your doctor about the appropriate type of exercise. In addition, consumption of bone-strengthening foods can help slow down the process of bone loss.

These types of exercise are not only intended for patients who have experienced osteoporosis, but can also be done as an effort to prevent this porous bone disease. That way, you can also reduce the risk factors that can cause osteoporosis.