Osteoporosis is a major health threat that often goes undetected until you fall and fracture your hip, wrist or shoulder. #Osteoporosis affects mostly women as 1 out of 2 women will be diagnosed with thinning bones. Osteoporosis safe bone building #exercises can help you beat osteoporosis and even a fatal outcome from a fractured hip. As a rehab therapist, I’ve seen too many patients whose lives drastically changed from a fall: some end up living in a nursing home and sadly, some seniors die from hip fracture complications. If you have osteoporosis or want to help prevent osteoporosis, the following #Bone Building moves are very important for you!
Protect your shoulders, elbows and wrists with these simple moves from the popular PBS TV series, Suzanne Andrews Functional Fitness.®
Osteoporosis Safe Elbow Flexion (Bicep Curls)
Your bicep muscles are utilized every time you carry shopping or grocery bags so keep them strong.
You can do this move sitting at your desk or standing up.
Keep your elbow stationary at your waist.
Begin by extending your arm all the way down until your arm is straight at your side. Bend your elbow towards your chest and repeat.
Healthwise Exercise Tip: For fastest results, it’s important to slowly lift weights as demonstrated on Suzanne Andrews Get Stronger Bones. Lift the weight up with control and slowly lower the weight. Make sure to keep your elbow at your waist. It’s tempting to lift your elbow so you’ll have to be conscious of keeping your elbow stationary. If your wrist is wobbling, you’re lifting too much weight. Start with a water bottle, and gradually increase weight as tolerated.
How Many Repetitions? When you can do one set of 15, easily, increase the weight. Aim for 2 sets of 15 of bicep curls.
Left to right: Suzanne Andrews, founder Functional Fitness PBS TV with 4 lb weights, Glenn Edison Poyer, Certified Personal Trainer performing the seated version with 2 lb weights and Alina Z, Certified Health Coach performing the modified version with 1 lb water bottles.
Osteoporosis Hip and Shoulder Strengthener
Standing level: Lift your knee in line with your hip.
Seated Level: straighten and bend your leg.
HOW TO DO:
Raise your arms to shoulder level with a dumbbell as shown here.
Lower your leg and your arms at the same time, repeat by lifting the opposite knee and arms at the same time. When this becomes easy you can add ankle weights beginning with 1 lb and increasing as tolerated.
Healthwise Exercise Tip: Make sure you place enough weight that the last repletion is challenging. When the last repletion is easy, it’s time to increase your weight by 1 lb.
Star of PBS TV’s Functional Fitness, Suzanne Andrews, a licensed Occupational Therapy Clinician guides you with evidenced based bone building exercises in Functional Fitness Get Stronger Bones DVD. Preview Below.