HOW PHYSIOTHERAPY CAN HELP IN OSTEOPOROSIS

As the year’s progress, our bone tissue weakens, but it should not do so at such a rate that we are unable to live with a desirable quality of life, the loss of bone density has become an outbreak that affects more and more people. Osteoporosis is today a great personal and social problem, it produces multiple discomforts in the development of daily life, generates disability and sometimes intense pain, as this pathology progresses the danger of a fracture occurs increases.

Bones form the structure of our body, they are the solid anchor on which the rest of who we are sits, when they begin to weaken the danger that threatens us is more than serious, the bone density of the bones decreases and they begin to slipping into a spongy fragility that increases the risk of major pathologies.

Osteoporosis appears as a silent pathology and once it appears it seems that we are doomed to endure it without being able to do anything more than arm ourselves with patience and bear its negative effects. Nothing could be further from reality, if we have not had healthy habits aimed at prevention, which is the best medicine for osteoporosis, we can still face it without being carried away by dejection.

If our diet has been unhealthy so far and our favorite exercise is practiced from the armchair, with a diagnosis of osteoporosis we have no alternative: we have to change our habits, the doctor will provide us with a diet and calcium and vitamin support to maintain the quality of our bones, physiotherapy will promote the recovery of general activity and can even increase our bone tissue density.

There are several types of osteoporosis, we are going to refer in this article to the possible treatment with Physiotherapy of the most common, those derived from increasing age, postmenopausal and after immobilization or fracture.

Treatment of osteoporosis with Physiotherapy.

1. In the first place we have to recommend magnetotherapy, it will be useful in all cases paying special attention to the indications of each equipment, magnet therapy has few contraindications, but we must be attentive to them.

2. Therapeutic exercise, if immobilization and lack of activity favor osteoporosis, active kinesitherapy is our essential ally. When the muscles betray the bone tissue they favor its mineralization, therefore a programmed moderate physical activity will be one of the best allies in the fight against osteoporosis. The physiotherapist is the specialist in therapeutic exercise and in all kinds of physical therapies, his collaboration is necessary to obtain optimal results.

3. Postural educations. At heart, exercise is posture in movement, the physiotherapist is the specialist in postural education, since osteoporosis can affect causing pain while standing, sitting or lying down, the physiotherapist will help the patient both to allow him to achieve a series of appropriate postures to carry out transitions.

4. Relaxation techniques, relaxation techniques favor circulation and raise the pain threshold in a natural way, with them the patient regains some control over his pathology, relaxation has a balancing effect on our homeostasis, if we teach relaxation to We provide our patients with a technique that may be useful on many occasions.

How are you able to reduce the danger of those life-altering injuries?

Exercising can help.

Benefits of exercise

It is never too late to start exercising. In postmenopausal women, regular physical activity can have the following effects:

• Increase muscle strength
• Improve balance
• Reduce the danger of getting a bone fracture
• Maintain or improve posture
• Relieve or decrease pain

If you've got osteoporosis, exercising means finding the safest and most enjoyable activities given your general health and also the degree of bone loss. There is no one recipe that is right for everyone.

Before starting

Consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise program for osteoporosis. You may need to do some tests first, such as the following:

• Measurement of bone density
• Physical fitness assessment

In the meantime, think about what kinds of activities you enjoy the most. If you choose a physical activity that you enjoy, you are more likely to continue doing it over time.

How to choose the right form of exercise?

The following sorts of activities are often recommended for people with osteoporosis:

• Muscle-strengthening exercise, especially for the upper back
• Aerobic activities that involve weight bearing
• Flexibility exercises
• Stability and balance exercises

Due to different degrees of osteoporosis and the risk of fracture, you may be advised not to do certain exercises. Ask your doctor or physiotherapist if you're in danger for problems associated with osteoporosis, and determine which exercises are right for you.

1. Muscle strengthening

Strength training includes using free weights, resistance bands, or your own weight to strengthen all major muscle groups, especially the muscles of the spine, as they're important for posture.

2. Aerobic activities that involve weight bearing

Aerobic activities that involve weight bearing include standing aerobics, with all the weight on the bones. Some examples are walking, dancing, doing low-impact aerobics, using elliptical machines, climbing stairs, and gardening.

These sorts of exercises work directly on the bones of the legs, hips, and lower spine to delay mineral loss. They also provide cardiovascular benefits that improve the health of the guts and cardiovascular system.

It is important that aerobic activities, which are so beneficial to general health, don't occupy the whole exercise program. It is also important to figure on strength, flexibility and balance.

Swimming and biking have many benefits, but they do not provide the weight load that bones need to support to delay mineral loss. However, if you enjoy these activities, do them. Just make sure to add the maximum amount weight-bearing activities as you'll be able to.

3. Flexibility exercises

Moving your joints through their full range of motion helps keep your muscles working properly. Stretches are best done after warming up the muscles, for instance , at the end of the exercise session or after a 10-minute warm-up. They should be done slowly and smoothly, without jumping.

4. Stability and balance exercises

Fall prevention is particularly important for people with osteoporosis. Stability and balance exercises help your muscles work together during a way that keeps you more stable and fewer likely to fall. Simple exercises like standing on one leg or movement-based exercises like t'ai chi can improve your stability and balance.

5. Movements to avoid

If you have osteoporosis, do not do the following types of exercises:

High impact exercises. Certain activities, such as jumping, running, or jogging, can lead to broken bones in weakened bones. Avoid making quick and jerky movements in general. Choose exercises with slow, controlled movements. If you generally stay strong and fit despite osteoporosis, you may be able to do more impactful exercises than a weak person.

Bend over and bend over. Exercises that involve bending and twisting at the waist, such as touching your toes or squatting, can increase your risk of compression fractures of the spine if you have osteoporosis. Other activities that will require you to bend over or forcefully bend at the waist include golf, tennis, bowling, and a few yoga poses.