Osteopenia

[newfsmith]

The annoying part of all this is accepting that we are all living in the middle of scientific research, NO ONE has the answers. Even the effect of weight bearing vs non-weight bearing exercise is called into question by some researchers. They claim that muscle strength is what matters in preventing fractures, and that cycling is just as good for preventing hip fractures as running.

Some of us will be lucky and that will be enough. Others will need drugs, some of us will get osteoporosis in spite of everything we try. It is no different than heart disease or cancer. Not everyone that gets a disease gets it because of lifestyle choices. I've a friend with advanced lung cancer that never smoked. Yes, people need to take responsibility for their lifestyle choices, but there is a tendency in today's society to believe that if you only did things the right way, nothing bad will happen to you. The last I checked, Scientists; physicians; Zen, Tai-chi and Yoga masters still all die just like the rest of us. So live the best quality of life you can right now and do it for as long as you can.

[salsabike]

The annoying part of all this is accepting that we are all living in the middle of scientific research, NO ONE has the answers. Even the effect of weight bearing vs non-weight bearing exercise is called into question by some researchers. They claim that muscle strength is what matters in preventing fractures, and that cycling is just as good for preventing hip fractures as running.

Some of us will be lucky and that will be enough. Others will need drugs, some of us will get osteoporosis in spite of everything we try. It is no different than heart disease or cancer. Not everyone that gets a disease gets it because of lifestyle choices. I've a friend with advanced lung cancer that never smoked. Yes, people need to take responsibility for their lifestyle choices, but there is a tendency in today's society to believe that if you only did things the right way, nothing bad will happen to you. The last I checked, Scientists; physicians; Zen, Tai-chi and Yoga masters still all die just like the rest of us. So live the best quality of life you can right now and do it for as long as you can.

Well said, newfsmith.

[KnottedYet]

Yup.

And if your quality of life will allow you to jump (both feet) in place 50 times a day so your bone deposition will follow impact force patterns at the hip, and allow you to do the "prone boat" or "superman" exercise for up to a minute 3 times a day to allow extensor muscles to strengthen and calcium to settle into the vertebrae along extension patterns; all the better!

(and don't forget all those great activities you do up to an hour a day on top of it)

[Zen]

And if your quality of life will allow you to jump (both feet) in place 50 times a day

Do those 50 jumps have to be consecutive or can I do them randomly throughout the day?

[solobiker]

I know weight bearing acitivies are great for the bones and for healing..I have said this to my patients many tmes. The one area where I am lacking significantly is my calcium in take. I am not a fan of milk or cheese and will sometimes eat yogurt. My question is do you think supplements really work. I know there should be a proper ratio with another mineral for absorption purposes I just don't remember what it is. Does anyone know what it might be.

[KnottedYet]

magnesium and zinc.
And vit D, of course.

If you have calcium going into your gut, the ultimate source doesn't matter as long as you are absorbing it. If you can't eat dairy (like so many folks) then go for other high calcium foods or supplements. Ca ions are Ca ions, regardless of whether they come in a pill or in a cheese sandwich.

The associated nutrients in the cheese sandwich are much more exciting than what generally comes in a calcium citrate/vit D/magnesium/zinc pill, which is why most labels I've seen say you are best off taking the pill with a meal. (better absorption)

Zen - just jump. whenever you want. There are some great force-line xrays of hip joints (the head of the femur) that show the different deposition patterns of bones subjected to impact vs bones that aren't. Jump, girl, jump! Get a jump rope, jog, whatever. Get those bones used to impact and depositing calcium where they need the extra buttressing, so that someday when you miss a curb your femur says, "No problem, I touch down like this at least 50 times a day" instead of "OMFG! Impact! I can't handle this! <snap!>" I've talked with lots of folks who swear their hip broke BEFORE they fell. The break caused the fall, not vice versa.

[Tuckervill]

My PT-friend/gym owner/fitness guru swears by jumping-jacks as the perfect exercise. I can do 200.

Karen