Transcript Document
EXERCISE AND BONE
HEALTH
Tracy O’Mahony (MISCP)
Senior Physiotherapist
3/10/2015
Key messages for exercise
and bone health
Exercise needs to be unusually
loading i.e. something the bone
is not used to doing all the time
Key messages for exercise
and bone health
Moderate weight bearing
exercise protects the bone
Too little (inactivity) or
excessive loading results in
bone loss
Effective exercises for
maintaining bone health
• Stair climbing
• Aerobics
• Skipping
Jumping
• Dancing
• Jogging
Sprinting
• Any bone loading activity
Ineffective exercises for bone
health
o Flat road cycling
o Swimming
o Walking at a regular pace
o trampolining
BUT
Not all effective exercises are
appropriate exercises
Each person must be individually
assessed
Aims of physiotherapy in
osteoporosis and osteopenia
Maintain / increase BMD
Education to improve
knowledge
Minimise early bone loss post
menopause
Maintain / improve muscle
strength
Prevent fractures
Improve posture
Aims of physiotherapy
Prevent / Reduce falls
Personal empowerment
Improve balance / co-ordination
Improve psychological wellbeing
How?
Design individual exercise
programme
Balance training
Posture correction
Ergonomic advice / lifting
technique
Pain management (incl
acupuncture /TENS)
address other conditions e.g.
pelvic floor insufficiency or
weight-bearing joint OA
Exercise programmes for
osteoporosis
Low impact
Stair climbing
Tai Chi
Aqua-aerobics
Modified pilates
Strength training (short levers)
Exercise programmes for
mild / moderate osteopenia
High impact if pre-menopausal
Skipping, jogging, walk / jog
Medium impact if postmenopausal
Stair climbing, step aerobics,
Brisk / power walking
Resisted gluteal / quads
Exercise for marked
osteopenia
Low / medium impact
Stair climbing
Brisk walking
Strength training (short levers)
Aqua-aerobics
Tai-Chi
Hydrotherapy
Pain relief
Precautions – The “Don’ts”
• Avoid trunk flexion – no
dynamic abdominal exercises
• Avoid lifting more than
moderate weight
• Avoid twisting trunk
• Avoid touching toes or low
bending from waist
• Avoid high / medium impact
loading activities
Key groups practice nurses
may see
School students especially
early pubertal
Peri / post menopausal women
Pregnant and post-natal women
breastfeeding mothers
Teenage pregnancies
Women with 2 pregnancies
close together