Exercise for bone loss in the hips?

[videofit]

I got a call from one of my aunts and she said she just had a bone scan and, while her spine is fine, she has minor bone loss in her hips and is worried. She won't take pharmaceuticals, takes calcium and walks a lot. I know yoga can help bone loss in the spine but what do you do about hips? High impact is out for her because she has bad feet due to botched foot surgery years ago.

[KarenP]

Originally Posted by videofit

I got a call from one of my aunts and she said she just had a bone scan and, while her spine is fine, she has minor bone loss in her hips and is worried. She won't take pharmaceuticals, takes calcium and walks a lot. I know yoga can help bone loss in the spine but what do you do about hips? High impact is out for her because she has bad feet due to botched foot surgery years ago.

Deadlifts and squats load up the hips and spine.

[kitty12]

ankle weights - leg lifts and leg circles

[Lucky Star]

Originally Posted by kitty12

ankle weights - leg lifts and leg circles

Yes, side-lying leg exercises help put muscle on the hips and that should help protect against further bone loss. In Strong Body, Ageless Body Erin O'Brien says these exercises are excellent for post-menopausal women.

[Wanda]

Originally Posted by Lucky Star

Yes, side-lying leg exercises help put muscle on the hips and that should help protect against further bone loss. In Strong Body, Ageless Body Erin O'Brien says these exercises are excellent for post-menopausal women.

So it sounds like the Winsor side leg series should be good choices - both the shortie and the one with the band? IIRC both include leg circles and lifts. I'm going to work them in more often.

[kitty12]

This was a link I found some time ago.
http://www.osteopenia3.com/ankle-wei...reatments.html

When I was in PT for my knee I couldn't put the ankle weights on my ankles and my therapist suggested putting them just above the knee which I still do today.

[bfit]

What about walking with a weighted vest? It seems like bearing the extra weight with the hips and lower body would help.

[Pat58]

I recommend this book, Yoga for Osteoporosis. I'm hoping SharonNYC pops in, she has actually regained bone density using this program.

[yogapam]

Originally Posted by Pat58

I recommend this book, Yoga for Osteoporosis. I'm hoping SharonNYC pops in, she has actually regained bone density using this program.

Ditto, this is an excellent book!

[SharonNYC]

Originally Posted by Pat58

I recommend this book, Yoga for Osteoporosis. I'm hoping SharonNYC pops in, she has actually regained bone density using this program.

Yes, I gained bone over 2 scans, 2 years apart, as a participant in Dr. Fishman's study re: effects of yoga on bone density (he wrote the book Pat cited). My spine is in great shape, but I had been losing bone at my femoral neck (hip) post menopause. I readjusted my yoga practice to concentrate more on standing poses, per Fishman's recommendations and stopped the traditional weights I had been doing. And I'm seeing increase in density. Yeah! (So is a woman from one of my regular classes who's suffered dramatic boneloss after chemotherapy.)

Karen's suggestion of deadlights and squats might be great for many. Deadlifts hurt my back no matter how I do them and squats (and moving lunges) kill my knees (and neither seemed to be doing anything for my density). I doubt that there's one answer for everyone. A lot depends on your anatomy and general configuration and your body mechanics.

There's a lot of information re: the study on Dr. Fishman's website:

http://www.sciatica.org/yoga/12poses.html