Osteopenia and Osteoporosis

Knowing which movements to avoid matters as much as knowing which to do. We help guide you on how to lift with scoliosis and manage your bone health.

Many of our adult patients with scoliosis also have low bone mass, known more commonly as Osteopenia and Osteoporosis. As such, we have become “Osteoporosis Physical Therapists” through additional training from The Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF), the nation’s largest health organization dedicated solely to osteoporosis and bone health. 

Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to become thin and porous, decreasing bone strength and increasing the risk of breaking a bone. Men and women begin to lose bone in their mid-30’s. As women approach menopause, they lose bone at a greater rate, about 2-5% per year.

One of the best weapons against osteoporosis, for all ages, is exercise. Research supports these types of exercises for preventing fractures and, in some cases, improving bone mass:

• Strength/Resistance Training

• Balance Exercises

• Moderate-to-Vigorous Aerobic Exercise

• Postural Exercises

• Impact Exercise

Equally as important are exercises to limit in the presence of Osteopenia and Osteoporosis:

• Repeated/Sustained, Weighted, End-Range, Rapid/Forceful or Combined

• Spinal Flexion

• Spinal Rotation

• Spinal Side Bending

• Forced, End-Range Hip Rotations

If you’ve been diagnosed with any form of low bone mass and would like more guidance on how best to care for your bones through exercise, we’d love to connect with you.