Osteoporosis affects nearly 44 million people in the United States, estimates the National Osteoporosis Foundation. The condition can be described as a silent disease because you might not detect its symptoms. If you do experience pain, you might attribute it to muscle strain rather than seeking an underlying cause. While osteoporosis is not curable, exercise can alleviate some of the symptoms associated with this condition.
Symptoms
Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone disease, most commonly found in postmenopausal women. In simple terms, bone is being broken more quickly than it can be replaced. This fact places osteoporosis patients at higher risk for fractures. Other factors contribute to your risk of developing osteoporosis including genetics, nutrition and smoking. A person with this condition will experience back pain and develop a stooped posture over time, explains MayoClinic.com.
Benefits
Exercise for osteoporosis offer patients some relief from the pain associated with this illness. Exercises that strengthen the back and core muscles will help restore some mobility and improve the quality of life. Stretching exercises can help improve posture, which in turn can relieve pain, according to MayoClinic.com. Exercise can also help patients prevent the loss of independence caused by fractures as well as the psychological issues this may cause.
Considerations
Exercises for osteoporosis relief can prevent one of the most debilitating complications of osteoporosis. Hip fractures even in a person without this condition involve long treatment and loss of mobility. The Linus Pauling Institute warns that one in five persons placed in a nursing home because of a hip fracture will die within one year. Exercises then are not only necessary for getting around but for also extending your longevity.
Balance
Exercise can focus on ways to prevent the complications of osteoporosis. The combination of aging and loss of bone increase the risk for falls, which can cause fractures. Exercise can restore balance by strengthening the core muscles. A 2010 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that home exercise helped elderly women maintain balance and prevent hip fractures.
Prevention/Solution
While exercise can provide relief, it can also help prevent osteoporosis. Weight-bearing and strength exercise improve bone density, helping you to maintain a strong skeletal system. Weight-bearing exercises include walking. Osteoporosis sufferers however, should avoid high-impact exercises, according to MayoClinic.com. In addition, a diet rich in vitamin D and calcium will help you realize the benefits of exercise for osteoporosis relief, according to the website for the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
References
- National Osteoporosis Foundation: Fast Facts
- MayoClinic.com: Osteoporosis
- Linus Pauling Institute: Osteoporosis
- "Archives of Internal Medicine"; Long-Term Outcomes of Exercise: Follow-Up of a Randomized Trial in Older Women with Osteopenia; R. Korpelainen et al; September 2010
- National Osteoporosis Foundation: Exercise for Healthy Bones
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