Osteoporosis Exercises | MelioGuide Blog

Should You Determine Your One Rep Max?

Margaret Martin — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:53:43 +0000

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you already know the important role weight-bearing activities and specifically strength training play in building stronger bones. Strength training is an integral part of the MelioGuide Exercise for Better Bones program

One recent study recently reported that there was significant increase in the density of the bone around the spine and hips in women with osteoporosis and osteopenia when they followed a maximum strength training program. Stimulation of bone cell growth is often done when the weights are heavy enough that you’re doing roughly 80% of your one rep max.

What is One Rep Max?

One-rep max is a term from the weight training world that describes the “maximum amount of weight one can lift in a single repetition for a given exercise.” An athlete will be supervised by their trainer and coaching staff when they determine their one-rep max. They gradually increase their weight until they can only do a single lift of a weight. That weight is their one-rep max.

Is it important for you to determine your one-rep max so that you can tailor your strength training program to maximize bone cell growth? Yes, but I do not recommend you follow the procedure described above for athletes and weight lifters.

Recently, one of my fitter and more active clients decided to calculate her one-rep max. She called me afterwards (I was not aware that she was doing this) and told me she had significant knee pain from the experience.

How You Should Determine Your One Rep Max

I recommend that my clients find a weight that allows them to fatigue their muscles in eight to ten repetitions. This is a far safe approach to determining your one-rep max and still is very effective.

I also encourage my clients to pay attention to the number of sets and reps that they do. I explain this in detail in this blog.

Women and Men: Exercise for Better Bones Program

An osteoporosis exercise program that strengthens bone, reduces fracture risk, improves balance and builds confidence.

MelioGuide Exercise for Better Bones Program for Women and Men

Health Professionals: Building Better Bones Online Course

Learn the Prevention, Treatment and Management of Osteoporosis through safe and effective exercise programs.

MelioGuide Building Better Bone Online Course for Health Professionals

Health & Fitness Professionals: Building a Stronger Core

Learn to prescribe Plank and Side Plank exercise programs for your clients.

MelioGuide Building a Stronger Core Online Course for Health and Fitness Professionals

Transcript – Scroll Bar is on the Right Hand Side

Hi, I’m Margaret Martin at MelioGuide, and today I want to talk to you about your one rep max. So often if you look at studies looking at the benefits of bone building and strength training, osteogenesis or stimulation of bone cell growth is often done when the weights are heavy enough that you’re doing roughly 80% of your one rep max.So does that mean that you need to go to the gym and lift heavy enough to find out what your one rep max is? A scenario of that would be if you can visualize a young football team, guys in their early 20s. They go to the gym, they have their trainers, they have their spotters, and they’re gradually lifting heavier and heavier until they can determine what is that one weight they can lift only once. That is their one rep max.

Now that is not something that I advocate any of my clients do. These are my clients from 35 to 85. I’ve had one right down smack the middle and she’s very fit. She does lots of hiking, and she’s probably one of my fitter clients. She decided she was going to go figure out what her one rep max was and then called me up with significant knee pain afterwards.

So how do you determine your one rep max if you want to lift to the best of your abilities to stimulate your bone and stimulate your muscle? You find the weight that allows you to fatigue within eight and ten repetitions. That’s a much safer route. So if you have picked five pounds for instance and you’re doing bicep curls, you get up to your tenth rep and you’re going, “Oh, but my muscles feel really tired,” but you can still do 11, 12 and 13 repetitions, you are not working at your 80% one rep max.

So whenever you’re guided to do eight to ten reps or if you’re starting and you’re doing more endurance sets closer to 15 reps, just listen to your body, work as hard as you can, maintain safe form and good breathing throughout, and you’ll know that you’re doing the best for you at keeping yourself safe.

That’s it for MelioGuide today. Thank you.

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How to Do a Safe Squat if You Have Osteoporosis

Margaret Martin — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:56:08 +0000

I am passionate about exercise and especially about how exercise can benefit people with osteoporosis, osteopenia, or low bone density. However, people with osteoporosis need to pay special attention to the exercises that they practice. Exercise is very beneficial but the wrong exercise, or the right exercise done incorrectly, can cause considerable harm to you and your bones.

Recently, I have had several new clients show me exercises prescribed to them by personal trainers. The exercises that they were doing increased their risk of fracture. Unfortunately, although this personal trainer had the best of intentions, he is not familiar with the issues faced by a person with low bone density or osteoporosis. This is why I developed the online Building Better Bones course for health and fitness professionals.

Exercise Squat for Osteoporosis

In the video I show a correct and incorrect form of the squat exercise. The squat is a great weight-bearing exercise. The squat exercise that I show is the Squats with Weights exercise that is part of the Athletic Level Exercise for Better Bones Program. Rest the weights on your shoulders and close to your body.

The form taught to my new client by her personal trainer had her arms extended out with the weights in her hands. A 1984 study examined the effects of loading the spine close to the body and away from the body. The study found that placing the weights away from the body dramatically increased the compressive forces on the spine. A weight of only 2 kilogram in each hand was high enough to lead to compression fractures of the lumbar spine.

Recommendation

My recommendation is that you should follow an exercise program. The benefits are many. However, if you have low bone density or osteoporosis, be cautious about the trainer you work with. Try to find a professional who has some training in osteoporosis exercise and can design a program that safely meets your needs.

Women and Men: Exercise for Better Bones Program

An osteoporosis exercise program that strengthens bone, reduces fracture risk, improves balance and builds confidence.

MelioGuide Exercise for Better Bones Program for Women and Men

Health Professionals: Building Better Bones Online Course

Learn the Prevention, Treatment and Management of Osteoporosis through safe and effective exercise programs.

MelioGuide Building Better Bone Online Course for Health Professionals

Health & Fitness Professionals: Building a Stronger Core

Learn to prescribe Plank and Side Plank exercise programs for your clients.

MelioGuide Building a Stronger Core Online Course for Health and Fitness Professionals

Transcript – Scroll Bar is on the Right Hand Side

Hi. Welcome to MelioGuide. I’m Margaret Martin, and those of you who have been following me know that I am very passionate about exercise and especially the effect that it can have on bone.Today I want to share with you an unsafe squat as well as reviewing safe squatting. This has been brought to my attention from several clients who have come from personal trainers. These clients are well-meaning. They have been wanting to do things that are healthy for their bones. These trainers maybe are also well-meaning but not well-educated in safe techniques for people with low bone density or osteoporosis.So here goes.In the MelioGuide program you will see at the athletic level squatting done with weights held at the shoulders. In this way the weight is very close to the body. There was a study back in ’84 where they looked at the loading of the lumbar spine, specifically L3, when this amount of weight, roughly two kilograms or five pounds was held in at the body versus being held out in front.So the technique that I’m very upset when I see people telling me that this is the squat that they’ve been taught to do. Please do a big X on that type of squatting, because that amount of force, the same amount of weight, instead of putting 1,800 newtons of force on the third lumbar vertebrae, it can bring up the forces into the spine well above fracture levels for somebody with osteoporosis. The forces go up in the area of 2,600 newtons of force.

Continue doing things that are well for you. Continue following safe guidelines.

I wish you well.

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Should You Use Calcium Supplements?

Margaret Martin — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 23:09:43 +0000

In a recent article published on MedScape—Trash the Calcium, Save the Patient—Charles Vega, MD at the University of California (Irvine) Medical School urges his fellow physicians to do just that: “skip the calcium and save the patient”. His primary concern is with the frequent calcium supplements usage by people without physician or health care provider supervision.

Concerns with Calcium Supplements

Dr. Vega is specifically concerned about the frequent usage of calcium supplements. He cites research showing the following:

Almost half of a sample of US adults in one study had used a supplement in the last 30 days. Calcium supplements were the second most popular type of supplement.
Calcium supplements alone do not significantly reduce the risk of fracture from osteoporosis. Vitamin D supplementation supports calcium in its role as a bone builder.
Calcium supplements may contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

1. How Popular are Calcium Supplements?

The usage of dietary supplements, and in particular calcium supplements, appears very high among US adults. A study published the March 11, 2013 edition of JAMA Internal Medicine, Why US Adults Use Dietary Supplements, found that almost half of US adults in the study used dietary supplements. However, in only 23% of the cases did physicians or health care providers recommend a dietary supplement.

It should come as no surprise that the most popular reason given by the study participants for taking a supplement was to improve or keep up health. Individuals are becoming more concerned about their health and they see supplements playing an important role in health maintenance.

Approximately 25% of the respondents indicated that “bone health” was a reason for taking supplements. Calcium supplements were the second most popular supplements cited by the respondents.

Should you take supplements, and in particular calcium supplements, without consulting with your physician or health care provider? Dr. Vega has his reservations. He identifies several areas of concern in his article. The first reservation is that there is “scant evidence supporting the notion that calcium supplements alone significantly decrease the risk of osteoporotic fracture”.

2. Calcium Supplements and Osteoporosis

Dr. Vega identifies a meta-analysis of 29 studies published in Lancet journal that found that calcium by itself did not significantly reduce the risk of osteoporotic fracture. However, the analysis identified that Vitamin D plays a key role in calcium absorption to strengthen bone.

In an interview with Kent MacLeod, Clinical Pharmacist at NutriChem Pharmacy in Ottawa, Kent states that many of his clients come to his clinic taking too many calcium supplements and too little Vitamin D.

3. Calcium Supplements and Cardiovascular Disease

Study findings published on February 4, 2013 in the online JAMA Internal Medicine “suggest that high intake of supplemental calcium is associated with an excess risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) death in men but not in women.”

The researchers reviewed data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Diet and Health Study “to investigate whether intake of dietary and supplemental calcium was associated with mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD), heart disease, and cerebrovascular diseases”.

The sample population for the NIH/AARP study was very large: 388,229 adults. In total, 56% of women and 23% of men reported using calcium supplements. During a mean of 12 years of follow-up, the incidences of deaths from CVD were 7,904 men and 3,874 women.

Ironically, this study and earlier research shows that men benefit the least from calcium supplements (for bone health) but have the higher incidence of death from CVD compared to women.

Dr. Vega points out that “the potential cardiovascular risk associated with calcium intake is an evolving field”. Expect more research and news on this in the future. Certain calcium supplement providers have an interest in your continued use of these supplements.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) Responds

On April 3rd, 2013 the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) hosted an online event for health professionals to address recent media reports and studies that have left many people confused about calcium and vitamin D—and in particular, the risks associated with calcium supplements. Presentations by Andrea J. Singer, MD, of Georgetown University and Taylor Wallace, PhD, of the Council from Responsible Nutrition (CRN) discussed, in detail, the importance of calcium for you bone health, the trends in average intake of calcium by US adults and children, and the recent controversy with the safety concerns.

I will not go into the presentations in detail (they were quite lengthy and comprehensive). Instead, I will summarize the key points made by Dr. Singer and Dr. Wallace.

Calcium is critical not only to the health of your bones but other major functions such as the constriction and relaxation of the blood vessels, muscle contraction, secretion of hormones such as insulin, and nerve impulse transmission.
Calcium intake in many parts of the US population are below the recommended standards. For example, as people age calcium intake drops and, quite often, falls below the recommended standard. Calcium intake varies across income levels and race in the United States. Dr Wallace pointed out that calcium supplementation is largely limited to higher income, higher educated whites.
There are no studies that more calcium (beyond the recommended levels) is better for you and your bones. Staying within guidelines is prudent.
Many researchers, including Dr. Singer, have concerns with the published findings regarding calcium supplements and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Dr. Singer pointed out several possible study limitations in her presentation but acknowledged that “the debate continues”. Even Dr. Vega refers to the area of CVD and calcium as an “evolving field”. Expect more discussion and debate!
Dr. Singer pointed out that “dietary calcium intake was unrelated to CVD death in either men or women”.

Conclusion

Calcium plays an important role in the health of your bones. However, you should look to getting your calcium from your diet and make sure that your Vitamin D levels are adequate.

Exercise caution when it comes to calcium supplements. Supplement your calcium level when your dietary intake is below recommended guidelines.

The NOF provides an excellent guide to calcium-rich foods and a practical approach to estimate your calcium intake.

Women and Men: Exercise for Better Bones Program

An osteoporosis exercise program that strengthens bone, reduces fracture risk, improves balance and builds confidence.

MelioGuide Exercise for Better Bones Program for Women and Men

Health Professionals: Building Better Bones Online Course

Learn the Prevention, Treatment and Management of Osteoporosis through safe and effective exercise programs.

MelioGuide Building Better Bone Online Course for Health Professionals

Health & Fitness Professionals: Building a Stronger Core

Learn to prescribe Plank and Side Plank exercise programs for your clients.

MelioGuide Building a Stronger Core Online Course for Health and Fitness Professionals

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Never Too Late for a Strength Training Program

Margaret Martin — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 21:23:04 +0000

Babs is my oldest and most dedicated client. If you have been a follower of this blog, you probably remember her from posts that I have done on senior balance exercises and alternative ways to traction for back pain. She is 96 years young and trains three times a week with me. I have designed her seniors exercise program with specific goals in mind—I specifically include a strength training program because she, like many seniors, needs upper body strength in their activities of daily living and to reduce risk of injury.

Seniors Exercise Program

Over the years, we have worked on her posture, cardiovascular, balance, flexibility and strength. Babs consistently gives everything at every workout and she is usually pretty tired at the end.

We used to do her exercise program in the gym at her living complex but recently Babs prefers to do her exercise program in her room.

Recently, I was fortunate to capture a part of her workout on video and thought that I should share it with you.

Strength Training Program for Seniors

I believe that Babs, like many seniors, needs upper body strength in case of a fall. Many seniors lose their balance as they walk forward. During a fall, stepping responses are the first line of defense. A earlier blog addressed drills to improve these. If the leg does not stop the fall, then the arms become the next line of defense. If the senior can reach out with his arms and use his upper body strength to catch the fall, this will reduce the risk of head injury.

A senior also needs to learn how to crawl on all fours (it is amazing what we have to relearn from childhood!) when she is alone and unable to stand up. She will need to crawl on all fours to get to the phone or alert system to call for help. The last time she fell, Babs crawled into bed and did not remember the fall until staff at her home noticed her bruises the next day.

Babs’ Strength Training Program

In the video, I show short snippets of her upper body strength-training program. The key parts of her routine are:

Shoulder stabilization.
Push ups.
Rows on a gym ball. Note that there is a soft weight in front of the ball so that the ball cannot roll forward. There is still side-to-side play with ball. There is a strong chair behind Babs.
Crawling.
Press chest.
Elbow press.
Reverse fly (with Theraband for resistance).

Prevent Tomorrow’s Fall Today

Make strength training a part of your exercise program today. You may need that strength today to maintain independence, prevent falls and reduce risk of injury tomorrow.

Women and Men: Exercise for Better Bones Program

An osteoporosis exercise program that strengthens bone, reduces fracture risk, improves balance and builds confidence.

MelioGuide Exercise for Better Bones Program for Women and Men

Health Professionals: Building Better Bones Online Course

Learn the Prevention, Treatment and Management of Osteoporosis through safe and effective exercise programs.

MelioGuide Building Better Bone Online Course for Health Professionals

Health & Fitness Professionals: Building a Stronger Core

Learn to prescribe Plank and Side Plank exercise programs for your clients.

MelioGuide Building a Stronger Core Online Course for Health and Fitness Professionals

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How to Improve Reaction Time

Margaret Martin — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 19:24:57 +0000

Many of you know Babs from her videos on balance training and alternative ways to traction an individual with low back pain. I recently published a video blog showing part of her strength-training program. In that blog I discuss how a senior would benefit from strength-training, both to keep up independence in activities of daily living as well as to develop the strength to catch himself in case of a fall. Strength is an important component. Another is reaction time—getting your hands out before your face hits the ground.

Strength Training and Fall Prevention

A recent research project in British Columbia videotaped seniors and studied their falls. Although many seniors attempted to stop their fall, they either were not strong or fast enough to do so causing many to experience head trauma.

However, I believe that all seniors (in fact, everyone over 50) would benefit from working on their reaction time. An excellent drill to improve reaction time is Mary Mack—the popular clapping game.

Miss Mary Mack Improves Reaction Time

The first time we did Mary Mack, Babs barely got through the first verse. But as you can see in the video she now has mastered the game. She doesn’t remember everything I tell her from session to session, but her muscle memory is holding onto the movement.

I use only two refrains of the verse since we are moving slower than the usual pace. Here are the lyrics of the rhyme if you want to follow along:

Miss Mary Mack, Mack
All dressed in black, black
With silver buttons, buttons, buttons
All down her back, back, back.

She asked her mother, mother
for fifty cents, cents, cents
To see the elephants, elephants
Jump the fence, fence.

They jumped so high, high
they reached the sky, sky
And didn’t come back, back
Till the 4th of July!

Women and Men: Exercise for Better Bones Program

An osteoporosis exercise program that strengthens bone, reduces fracture risk, improves balance and builds confidence.

MelioGuide Exercise for Better Bones Program for Women and Men

Health Professionals: Building Better Bones Online Course

Learn the Prevention, Treatment and Management of Osteoporosis through safe and effective exercise programs.

MelioGuide Building Better Bone Online Course for Health Professionals

Health & Fitness Professionals: Building a Stronger Core

Learn to prescribe Plank and Side Plank exercise programs for your clients.

MelioGuide Building a Stronger Core Online Course for Health and Fitness Professionals

The post How to Improve Reaction Time appeared first on Osteoporosis Exercises | MelioGuide Blog.

Motivation to Exercise

Margaret Martin — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 00:23:32 +0000

In an earlier blog I spoke about my body building experience and some of the lessons I learned about how body-building can affect bone and muscle. While I was training for the body building competition, several life challenges came my way that took me off my strength-training program and affected my motivation to exercise. My mother passed away from Alzheimer’s in April and, later in the year, my sister died after a long battle with multiple sclerosis.

Motivation to Exercise

Needless to say, I found it challenging to continue my body-building training. My priorities changed. I had to find my motivation to exercise.

I still kept to an exercise program but it became a less intense program – exercise became more meditative and reflective. I kept walking, biking and doing many of the things that I enjoy doing.

I also came to realize several important things.

Resilience

Our bodies are remarkably resilient. Sometimes the challenges we face can set us back weeks, months and maybe even years from staying fit and active. But if we persevere we can do amazing things.

My Clients Inspire Me

I have many clients who visit me at Function to Fitness, my Physiotherapy studio in Ottawa, and I have gotten to know many online through the MelioGuide Exercise for Better Bones program.

I am impressed with how you deal with the challenges you face in your life – they are greater challenges than the ones that I face. I want to let you know that you inspire me and to thank you for how you keep me going.

Thank you.

What Motivates You?

Where do you find the motivation to keep exercising? Please share your thoughts below in the Facebook comments box.

Women and Men: Exercise for Better Bones Program

An osteoporosis exercise program that strengthens bone, reduces fracture risk, improves balance and builds confidence.

MelioGuide Exercise for Better Bones Program for Women and Men

Health Professionals: Building Better Bones Online Course

Learn the Prevention, Treatment and Management of Osteoporosis through safe and effective exercise programs.

MelioGuide Building Better Bone Online Course for Health Professionals

Health & Fitness Professionals: Building a Stronger Core

Learn to prescribe Plank and Side Plank exercise programs for your clients.

MelioGuide Building a Stronger Core Online Course for Health and Fitness Professionals

Transcript – Scroll Bar is on the Right Hand Side

Hi. Welcome to MelioGuide. I’m Margaret Martin, and in this blog, I want to share with you my experiences in 2012 of getting off and coming back on to strength training.

During 2012, actually, specifically this time last year, I was right in the middle of lifting really heavy. My challenge for 2012, my 50th year, was to enter a body building competition. I had full support of my family. They were great.

For my birthday, I got extra sets of weights. I got a personal training package. I got special recipes to follow, all the things that I needed to succeed in my goal.

Unfortunately, with the competition set in May, the timing didn’t quite work out, in my personal life. My mother passed away with Alzheimer’s in April. Then, as I was starting to recover from that, my older sister, who had had progressive multiple sclerosis, passed away before the end of the year.

Needless to say, 2012 just took its own course. One of those directions was not something I had anticipated. I went from lifting every day and being really motivated to not wanting to lift at all.

I stayed active. I kept walking, biking, and doing the things that I liked to do, but that there were more meditative and allowed me to have some time to heal. 2013, when I look upon wanting to get back into it, I needed to find some inspiration.

This blog is really to thank those of you who had provided me with that inspiration. So many of you, who either I work with directly, who to come see me and you have pain, but you know that by working through your pain, your pain lessens and you become functionally stronger. Your life and your quality of life improves. Some of you who have fractured your knee and you just keep working through the fractures.

Those of you who work with me via email, who come in through “Exercise for Better Bones” that I’ve never personally met, but I’ve met via the exchanges through email or telephone calls. Your challenges seem so much greater at times than my own challenges. I want to thank you for your inspiration to keep going.

For those of you who haven’t had that experience in life yet, know that sometimes you will have a challenge that derails you and maybe you’ll be out of your goals of maintaining a healthy lifestyle for weeks, months, or even years at a time. Our body is so resilient. If you persevere and just take it one day at a time, you’ll get back at it.

That’s the story I wanted to share with you today. That’s it for MelioGuide. Thank you.

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How to Modify an Osteoporosis Exercise Program

Margaret Martin — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 17:51:14 +0000

A student of the online Building Better Bones continuing education course had several questions mostly about how to change an osteoporosis exercise program for different populations. She is an experienced Physiotherapist who works with a geriatric population.

Here are her questions and my responses.

Question #1: Modifying Exercises for Clients with Limited Mobility

I work in medical rehabilitation and geriatrics. A large proportion of the population I work with cannot do some of the basic exercises in the Building Better Bones osteoporosis exercise course. However, many of them do have osteoporosis, sometimes quite severe, and it would be good to get them started with specific exercises to treat it.

I usually use the Berg to assess balance on my patients. Would you omit any items in patients with osteoporosis to avoid spinal flexion (such as, reaching forward with outstretched arms while standing, or picking up object from the floor from standing)?

My Response

A few years ago there was a lively discussion about this within the APTA Bone Health Interest Group. There were arguments on both side of the fence, especially for the picking up an object from the floor.

Here is a summary of the debate:

Pro – You get to see how an individual has been functionally reaching and picking items up so that you can use it as a teaching opportunity and suggest safer ways.
Con – You are putting an individual at risk and can still have the teaching opportunity without including the item into the overall Berg score.

At times, you have to make modifications to assessments and exercises because of a client’s condition. It is a judgement call you will have to make. For example, in an earlier blog I discuss and an alternative to the Chair Sit and Reach test in the Senior Fitness Test.

Question #2: Balance Exercises for Patients at Home

Do you have any suggestions for giving balance exercises for patients to do at home, specifically for those patients who need a gait aid at all times for balance but have a tendency to furniture walk? My concern is that giving some of the exercises with chairs close by for safety might encourage furniture walking rather than using their appropriate gait aid.

My Response

All the balance/agility videos you see of Babs, my elderly client, have been done since she has been using a walker for independent ambulation. Having said that, I would never give her these challenging drills to do on her own.

If you are concerned that by using chairs for balance training, you might be encouraging furniture walking then you can ask your clients to lock their walker and use it in the same way you would use two chairs. I suggest that you orient the client so that there is a sofa or bed behind them.

Question# 3: Modified Flexibility Exercises (Part 1)

Do you have alternate positions for the inner thigh stretches for people who can’t get down into that position on the floor (or back up from it!)?

My Response

Yes, you can still do the “butterfly” stretch from a bed. Hips will be extended. If you want to do it with hips flexed you can use a large exercise ball not the bed. Bring their feet up to rest on the ball with a 90/90 bend at the hip and knees.

Question #4: Modified Flexibility Exercises (Part 2)

Are there stretches that are safe to do in sitting position or is the risk of poor form and spinal flexion too high?

My Response

Your client can do hamstring and calf stretches while doing un-weighted quad sets in sitting, all while encouraging a lengthened spine and crown of the head to the sky. (My clients seem to like the Yoga terms.)

Question #5: Modified Strength Training Exercises

Is unilateral bridging a reasonable alternative to bilateral bridging with a weight for someone who might not have a weight at home?

My Response

Yes. In the Athletic Level, I used a modified version of the single leg bridge – 2 Up / 1 Down

Question #6: Prioritizing Osteoporosis Exercises

My one–on–one time is pretty limited with my patients. Is there one component that you would focus on over the others (with the understanding that all patientsare different)? Postural exercises? Something else?

My Response

I do not know how many of you are able to cope with your very rushed schedule. I admire you for your commitment to your clients.

If I only had 20 minutes, I would focus on something different each time but in an order that allowed me to build from one to the other.

The order would probably be

Breathing
Abdominal control
Postural alignment
Functional strength – strength exercises based on their level of function
Balance

With many of my clients I ask them what is most important to them. Give them options to choose which direction is most important to them or where they see a need. If they always choose the same area (such as, flexibility) I explain the importance of the other components so that I get their buy in. After all, it is their session.

Health Professionals: Building Better Bones Online Course

Learn the Prevention, Treatment and Management of Osteoporosis through safe and effective exercise programs.

MelioGuide Building Better Bone Online Course for Health Professionals

Health & Fitness Professionals: Building a Stronger Core

Learn to prescribe Plank and Side Plank exercise programs for your clients.

MelioGuide Building a Stronger Core Online Course for Health and Fitness Professionals

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Three Lessons from Body Building to Help You Build Bone and Muscle

Margaret Martin — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:03:37 +0000

When most people hear the term body building, large men with thick Austrian accents and the ugly parts of the body building world – including the steroid use – frequently come to mind. This is understandable given the world of competitive sports these days. However, are there techniques from body-building that you can blend into your exercise program to make it more effective?

Last year I decided to try my hand (actually my body) at body building (without the steroids and other bad bits) to see how far I could go. I learned some important lessons that I would like to share with you.

Before I get into the specific lessons learned, I should mention a study I came across related to strength training and bone health.

Strength Training and Bone Health

A new study published in the January 2013 edition of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research titled Maximal strength training in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia studied the effects of strength training on the bone health of a group of postmenopausal women.

The study found that there was a significant increase in bone density (specifically around the spine and the hips) in the women with osteoporosis and osteopenia when they followed a maximum strength training protocol for a twelve (12) week period.

If you want to build strong bones, you should follow an exercise program that requires consistent, regular strength training that involves a maximum effort.

Do you need to become a body builder? Probably not, but body builders that follow a natural program (one that does not include steroids or pharmaceuticals) build strong muscle and bone.

Three Lessons for Better Bone Health from Body Building

What can you learn from body builders? I believe that there are three lessons we can all take from this world.

1. Your Diet is Important

Your diet plays an important role in building muscle and bone. Body builders need protein as they stress their muscles. However, protein is acidic. Use alkaline foods to balance the effects of the acidic foods. This is one reason the body builder diet also includes an abundance of vegetables.

2. Supplement with Creatine

Body builders often consume creatine after a strenuous workout. Studies show that older adults who took creatine had a strength increase of 20 to 25% compared to older adults who did not take creatine post workout. Further, the older adults who took creatine had a better recovery experience.

3. Maximize Strength Training

Your bones and muscles will experience the greatest benefits when choose a weight (if the exercise includes a weight) that fatigues your targeted muscles within the range of reps listed in your exercise schedule. To learn more about sets and reps and maximizing your weights, please read my blog, Sets and Reps Explained.

But make sure you keep good form and posture when you do your exercise program. You do not want to compromise your form as your build up your weights.

Conclusion

Body building is probably not your cup of tea but there are techniques within that training regimen that will benefit your bones and muscles.

Women and Men: Exercise for Better Bones Program

An osteoporosis exercise program that strengthens bone, reduces fracture risk, improves balance and builds confidence.

MelioGuide Exercise for Better Bones Program for Women and Men

Health Professionals: Building Better Bones Online Course

Learn the Prevention, Treatment and Management of Osteoporosis through safe and effective exercise programs.

MelioGuide Building Better Bone Online Course for Health Professionals

Health & Fitness Professionals: Building a Stronger Core

Learn to prescribe Plank and Side Plank exercise programs for your clients.

MelioGuide Building a Stronger Core Online Course for Health and Fitness Professionals

Transcript – Scroll Bar is on the Right Hand Side

Hi. I’m Margaret Martin, at MelioGuide. Today, I was reviewing some journal articles, and there was one that came out specifically on maximum strength training. In that article, they were looking at post-menopausal, osteoporotic, osteopenic women. They found that, as long as they carried through with the maximum strength training protocol, lifting 3 times a week, they were able to get significant increases in bone density in both the hip and the spine within 12 weeks. That was really exciting.It leads me to want to share with you my experience that occurred last year. I was working on body building for myself. In my 50th year, I decided as a challenge, I would enter a bodybuilding competition. This time last year, I was lifting really heavy. There’s a few things that I think you, my listeners that are trying to be healthy and build bone, can take from the experience that I had.One key experience is that your diet is so very important when trying to build muscle, as well as bone. When you’re trying to build muscle, and you’re working hard and breaking down muscle, the muscle needs to rebuild. In order to rebuild, it needs protein, it needs significant amount of protein. We know that protein alone is very acidic, so if you look at a bodybuilder’s diet, there’s a lot of protein, but there’s a lot of vegetables. A plate at lunchtime, dinner, or breakfast even, will have your portion of protein, but will have 2 and 3 cups of vegetables so that you’re constantly balancing the alkaline and the acidic foods to maximize both muscle and effect on bone.Another key part in bodybuilding is in helping to replenish or rebuild is the intake of creatine. There are some great studies that were done on creatine, even in the older adult. Older adults taking creatine, compared to those who didn’t take creatine with their exercises, gained 20% to 25% more muscle than the non-creatine group. As well, they had better recovery.These are little things that you might find helpful and beneficial to take with you in your workouts. Remember with maximum strength training, and this is something that I really felt, you have to work really hard. When you dedicate your 15, 20 minutes, 40 minutes to your muscle-building, that’s where your focus is. You are encouraged to work as hard as you can to complete your sets that have been given to you, but with the maximum weight that you can. You should feel tired, you should feel like you’ve worked hard, but maintain good form so that you keep safe.That’s it for MelioGuide today. I hope this lesson was helpful for you.

The post Three Lessons from Body Building to Help You Build Bone and Muscle appeared first on Osteoporosis Exercises | MelioGuide Blog.

Bone Health, Belly Fat and Muscle Mass

Margaret Martin — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:27:56 +0000

Two new research studies show that the amount of fat and muscle in the body influences bone health – specifically bone strength. In a nutshell, less muscle and more fat are both correlated with bone loss. A higher level of bone loss, in turn, leads to a reduction in bone strength.

The good news is that the research also identifies several things you can do to affect your muscle and fat composition to the benefit of your bone health. Specifically, you should look to exercise and vitamin D as key to your success in combating fat, increasing muscle and building stronger bones. The researchers also found other nutrients that can play a key role in muscle formation.

Belly Fat and Bone Health

What Channel is Mad Men On?

The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study examines the major causes of osteoporosis. The study determined that male obesity and an increased risk of fracture are related.

A separate study, using the data collected in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study, set out to find the effect of belly fat on bone strength.

The research team, led by Dr. Miriam Bredella at Harvard Medical School, evaluated 35 obese men. The group had a mean age of 34 and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 36.5. The men were subject to a range of tests to assess fat, muscle mass and bone strength. The researchers used advanced bone strength analysis to predict fracture risk.

The study found that men with higher visceral and abdominal fat had weaker bones compared to those with less visceral and abdominal fat. Further, the results of the study indicated that muscle mass was positively correlated with bone strength.

Obesity is associated with a range of health issues including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and joint problems. Now, this study provides men (and women) further encouragement to slim down.

Not only can exercise play a key role in reducing fat around the middle, research is finding that Vitamin D can as well. Researchers have found a link between low vitamin D levels and obesity – specifically abdominal obesity and visceral fat(1). Other studies are showing that an increase in vitamin D levels may improve your chances of weight loss.

Muscle Mass, Bone Strength and Nutrition

Another recent review, this one conducted by the Nutrition Working Group of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF),examined the role of nutrition in sarcopenia (an age associated loss of muscle mass and function). Loss of muscle mass means less muscle strength and this, in turn, leads to an increase the risk of a fall.

The review focused specifically on the effects of protein, vitamins D and B and an acid-base diet on muscle mass loss. The Working Group reviewed evidence from worldwide nutritional studies.

The Group’s co-leader, Dr. Jean-Phillipe Bonjour, Professor of Medicine at the Service of Bone Diseases of the University of Geneva, identified resistance training exercises as “an obvious intervention against sarcopenia” but went on to state “adequate nutritional intake and an ideal dietary acid-base balance are also very important elements of any strategy to preserve muscle mass and strength during ageing.”

The review identified the following important nutritional factors as beneficial to maintaining muscle mass and treatment of sarcopenia:

Protein: In an earlier post, Dr. John Berardi identifies the important role of protein in bone health. Protein can increase calcium absorption, increase IGF-1 (a compound that stimulates bone deposition) and decrease parathyroid hormone. The IOF Nutrition Group recommends an intake of 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg of body weight per day as ideal for skeletal and bone health in elderly people.
Vitamin D: Earlier posts have discussed the importance of Vitamin D in bone health and fracture prevention

The Nutrition Group also points out that you should avoid an excess intake of acid in your diet. A diet that is high in nutrients that produce acids and low in alkalizing nutrients “may have negative effects on musculoskeletal health.” Acid producing foods include grains, meats, cheese, and egg yolks. Alkalizing foods include fruits and vegetables.

Your acid producing foods are an important source of nutrients but should be consumed with alkalizing foods.

The Group also points out that vitamin B12 plays an important role in improving muscle function and strength.

Conclusion

The results of these study reviews further support the fact that a well-designed exercise program plays a key role in bone health. Your exercise program should not only include exercises that increase strength in muscles and bone but also include activities that challenge your cardiovascular system and improve your balance.

References

Study presented at the Endocrine Society’s 91st Annual Meeting, June 10-13, 2009, Washington, DC

Women and Men: Exercise for Better Bones Program

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MelioGuide Exercise for Better Bones Program for Women and Men

Health Professionals: Building Better Bones Online Course

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MelioGuide Building a Stronger Core Online Course for Health and Fitness Professionals

The post Bone Health, Belly Fat and Muscle Mass appeared first on Osteoporosis Exercises | MelioGuide Blog.

Why Grip Strength Matters

Margaret Martin — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 23:33:48 +0000

You already know the benefits of strong bones and a strong core. But is it important to have strong hands?

A video I produced on exercise for strong hands recently hit over 100,000 views on YouTube. A second video recently reached over 25,000 views. Obviously, there are a lot of people online who think having strong hands is important for their health and their lifestyle!

Is Grip Strength Important?

Get a Grip

A strong grip can improve your overall quality of life. (In can also be very useful if your hobby is rock climbing and, like the young lady in the photo, you find yourself hanging from a cliff .)

Most activities of daily living are much easier when you have a strong grip. Household activities, shopping (lifting and holding those grocery bags), shoveling snow, raking leaves, lifting heavy objects, mowing the lawn, and weeding the garden are much easier for people who have strong hands.

As you age you will need to keep up grip strength because you need strong hands to grip railings and possibly walkers. Without grip strength your balance could be at risk and a serious fall a real possibility.

Health and fitness professionals need grip strength. For many of you, your hands are your “tools of your trade”. I made the two videos after working with Adrian Das, a Massage Therapist in Ottawa.

Grip Strength a Good Indicator of Overall Health

Many health and fitness professionals use measuring devices such as a dynamometer to test the grip strength of their clients. Grip strength is a good indicator of overall health. The owner of a strong grip usually has a strong body because they follow a complete exercise program that includes strength training. Further, grip strength can predict future health outcomes in aging adults.

A systematic review of peer-reviewed journal articles assessing hand-grip dynamometry as a predictor of important health outcomes by Richard Bohannon, Professor of Physical Therapy in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Connecticut, published in the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy supports this.

The review identified forty-five relevant research articles on grip strength. The articles typically involved middle-aged and older adults and looked at various outcomes including mortality/survival, disability, complications and increased length of hospital stay.

The published results are significant. In the review Dr. Bohannon reported:

Low grip strength was a consistent predictor of death and high grip strength was a consistent predictor of survival in studies with diverse samples of subjects. Sixteen of 23 studies provided unqualified support for the use of grip strength as a predictor of mortality/survival.

Further, the review found that weakness in middle age was predictive of problems later – specifically the onset of disability. Those who were weaker in their 40’s and 50’s were more likely to demonstrate an onset of disability in their 60’s.

In an interview regarding the review, Dr. Bohannon stated that maintaining fitness helps individuals combat infection and rebound from illness. Dr. Bohannon goes onto say:

If you experience weakness that accompanies aging and you have a stroke or serious infection, it can definitely be a problem. For instance, if it takes all the strength you can muster to get out of a chair now and you suddenly get a urinary tract infection, it is likely you will have more trouble getting up because you don’t have any reserve.

Hand Exercises to Increase Grip Strength

Several years ago I produced two videos on hand exercises that increase grip strength and published them on YouTube for Function to Fitness, my Physiotherapy studio in Ottawa. We video taped an exercise routine by Adrian Das, a Massage Therapist and now a Rock Climbing teacher in Ottawa.

Adrian needs strong hands for his job. He works long hours and needs to keep his hands in top form.

He is also an accomplished rock climber. His hands are critical to his safety. Without a strong grip, Adrian would not be able to do many of the moves he needs to do to complete his climbs.

In Part 1 of the two part video set, Adrian covers his recommended flexibility exercises for his hands. Adrian points out that his work and recreation involve a lot of repetitive movements of his hands and in many cases these involve fine movements. He states that these repeated movements, although they build strength, can lead to injury. To avoid injury, Adrian regularly follows his own “pre-hab exercise routine” that addresses the need for mobility, flexibility and strength in his hands.

In Part 2 of the video set, recommends that anyone who uses their hands at work – musicians, and office workers – as well as recreational athletes follow this program. Adrian covers strength exercises for the hands. About four minutes into the video, Adrian demonstrates several self-massage exercises and trigger points.

The stretches and self massage are safe for anyone. If you have to work with your hands and need to develop a strong grip, I recommend that you progress gradually through the strength exercises as some of the exercises that Adrian demonstrates are quite challenging.

Women and Men: Exercise for Better Bones Program

An osteoporosis exercise program that strengthens bone, reduces fracture risk, improves balance and builds confidence.

MelioGuide Exercise for Better Bones Program for Women and Men

Health Professionals: Building Better Bones Online Course

Learn the Prevention, Treatment and Management of Osteoporosis through safe and effective exercise programs.

MelioGuide Building Better Bone Online Course for Health Professionals

Health & Fitness Professionals: Building a Stronger Core

Learn to prescribe Plank and Side Plank exercise programs for your clients.

MelioGuide Building a Stronger Core Online Course for Health and Fitness Professionals

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