Osteoporosis and Your Health….It Matters
Osteoporosis and Your Health….Why it matters
If 2020 taught us anything, it’s about the importance of prioritizing our health and safety.
An amazing woman I met at a conference that I attended a couple of years ago told me about her mother. Her mother was a strong, vital woman…..until she fell and broke her hip. Now she will be in a wheel chair for the rest of her life.
Breaking a bone due to osteoporosis can be life changing. So as we head into the winter season — and the weather causes walkways to be more slippery — we want to remind you that bone health is more important than ever.
Social distancing may be keeping us at home a lot more these days, but we still need to pay attention to the health of our bones. One way to do this is through regular exercise.
In light of that, we wanted to share some at-home workouts for 2021 and beyond.
| OSTEOPOROSIS-FRIENDLY AT-HOME EXERCISES |
1. Muscle-Strengthening ExerciseMuscle-strengthening exercises, also known as resistance exercises, are important for building and maintaining bone density.3 Bicep curls focus on your upper body. Start by holding a weight in each hand with your arms down at your side, palms facing forward. Curl your arm at the elbow, slowly raising and lowering the weight. Repeat the curls in sets of eight.4 |
Osteoporosis and your health are two things you can’t afford to ignore!
| 2. Balance ExerciseExercises that help you maintain or improve your balance are important to strengthen your legs and can potentially decrease your chance of falling.5 Work on your balance with heel raises by standing straight and holding onto the back of a chair or counter, without bending at the waist or knees. Rise up on your toes and then back onto your heels. Repeat 10 times. Once comfortable, hold on to the surface as little as possible to challenge your balance. Do this once each day.5,6 |
Osteoporosis and your health are something you should think about every day!
| 3. Yoga ExerciseYoga may help improve strength, balance and flexibility.3,7 One example is the chair pose. This is done by starting with your feet together. Bend your knees as if you are sitting into a chair and raise your arms so that they are parallel to your ears. Draw your lower abdomen in and up to support your lower back. Hold the pose for 5 to 10 breaths, or for however long is comfortable for you.8,9 Check out our video for more yoga poses here. |
Osteoporosis and your health are vital to your well being!
As always, before beginning any new exercise routine, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider to determine what might be right for you.
Take care of yourselves, friends. You matter to your families and you matter to NanaHood!
