Osteoporosis is a leading cause of disability in older women. The disease quietly weakens the bones and is not accompanied by symptoms that can be seen and noticed. But one day, people with osteoporosis are very likely to experience a sudden fracture during a minor injury or fall that would not normally cause a fracture.

Osteoporosis is more common in the elderly as they age. This condition can occur when the bones slowly begin to thin and cannot maintain their density. This disease cannot be cured. The treatment and care provided aim to prevent bone cracks or fractures.

Exercise for Osteoporosis

As mentioned, osteoporosis treatment and care has the main goal of preventing bone cracks or fractures. To achieve this goal, treatment such as vitamin and mineral consumption, hormone therapy, and exercise are needed.

Exercises that are widely recommended for osteoporosis patients are exercises such as the following:

Muscle strength training

Strength training helps maintain bone density, benefits posture and improves muscle strength. This activity can help reduce the risk of osteoporosis disease.

Muscle strength exercises suitable for people with osteoporosis include using elastic bands (resistance bands), practicing with your body weight, and using dumbbells and barbells or weight lifting machines. These exercises can be done according to your ability and comfort, at least twice a week.

For people with osteoporosis, these exercises should not be done carelessly. These exercises must be done with the supervision and guidance of a trainer or physiotherapist.

Weight-bearing exercise

Weight-bearing exercises force the body to defy gravity to strengthen the bones. Activities include aerobic exercise with your bones supporting your weight. Examples of exercises are walking, climbing stairs, gardening, or dancing.

Balance training

Balance exercises train the muscles to work and help individuals with osteoporosis not to fall easily. Examples of balance exercises include standing on one leg, yoga, or tai chi exercises. These exercises should be done at least twice a week.

Flexibility exercises

Flexibility exercises such as yoga and stretching are important exercises to help keep muscles limber, increase range of motion, and keep joints moving.

Sports that Osteoporosis Patients Should Avoid

People who suffer from osteoporosis need to be careful in choosing the type of exercise that can actually increase the risk of injury and fracture. Some sports that should be avoided include:

High impact sports

Actually it is not a problem for the elderly to do high impact sports. But in severe osteoporosis patients, they should avoid high impact sports. Fast, jerky movements or those that involve excessive impact on the body should be avoided. Choose exercise with slow, controlled movements.

Bending or twisting movements

Lifting weights may help build muscle strength, but certain positions such as bending over with heavy weights can increase pressure on the spine. This can be risky for those with osteoporosis in the spine. Movements that require the body to bend sideways or twist can also increase the risk of rib fractures in people with osteoporosis.

Extreme sports

Extreme sports such as skiing, riding, snowboarding or rock climbing have a high risk of injury that people with osteoporosis should avoid.

People with osteoporosis should not be afraid to keep exercising. We recommend that before starting a sport, you consult a doctor or physiotherapist who can help design an exercise program that suits your needs and condition. You can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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