Do you want to know … the best type of exercises for building stronger bones? Which Yoga and Pilates poses are unsafe? How your improved posture will make you look 10 years younger?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to attend Stop the Stoop – my Osteoporosis Exercise and Education Seminar.

Two Seminars have been scheduled and each will take place at NutriChem Pharmacy Clinic. The dates are:

- Wednesday, November 18th, 2009, 12:00 noon – 1:00 PM
- Tuesday, December 8th, 2009, 4:45 – 5:45 PM

The charge for the Seminar is $30 + GST and attendance is limited to six students per session – so sign up today by calling 613-721-3669.

Seminar Brochure

In my blogpost on October 19th I mentioned a recent interview I had with the Toronto Star on exercise and osteoporosis. The article, When Exercise Becomes a Hazard, did a good job of capturing some of the key messages I have for my clients.

A week after this publication I was interviewed in a second article, Osteoporosis Defence Begins in Teenage Years, went on to discuss the importance of bone building at a young age.

At Function to Fitness, my Physiotherapy and Personal Training studio in Ottawa, I develop safe and effective exercise programs for clients with osteoporosis. Many of the principals I discuss in the Toronto Star interview, I share with my clients and incorporate into their programs.

Vivian Song, the writer, did a good job of capturing a number of points I regularly share with my clients:

For parents, that means providing kids with a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D during their optimal bone building years, and encouraging a wide range of exercise, says Margaret Martin, an Ottawa-based physical therapist who designed the MelioGuide, an online resource for all things osteoporosis.

“Exercise needs to be as high impact as possible, like basketball, gymnastics or soccer,” Martin said. “And ideally, kids should be doing as many different types of exercises as possible because each sport challenges bones differently.”

More than 25 per cent of all the bone built in a boy’s lifetime will happen between the ages of 13 and 15, while the same will happen for girls during the ages of 12 and 14.

“In those two years, you will acquire as much bone as you will lose in your entire adult life,” she said. “That’s why it’s important to build as much as you can here.”

For girls, the optimal bone-building years can also be defined as the onset of menstruation. The older the girl is before she gets her period, the narrower her window of time for building bone mass. And for many girls with delayed menstruation, the reason can be traced back to eating disorders.

Martin advises both parents and female sports coaches to make a habit of asking girls about their cycles.

“Menstrual cycles are a clear sign of whether or not a girl is at a safe body weight,” she said. “It’s OK to be slim as long as you have regular periods.”

For older adults, strength-training exercises should be at a weight load that tires them out at between 10 to 12 repetitions. Sessions should be about 45 minutes and occur two to three times a week, Martin suggests.

I was recently interviewed (and quoted!) in an article, When Exercise Becomes a Hazard, on exercise and osteoporosis in the Toronto Star. The article refers to MelioGuide – my online service devoted to osteoporosis and exercise.

At Function to Fitness, my Physiotherapy and Personal Training studio in Ottawa, I develop safe and effective exercise programs for clients with osteoporosis and find it exciting when I can get my message well beyond the reach of my studio.

The writer, Vivian Song, did a good job of capturing some of the key messages I have for my clients:

For those who may not have access to a specialized trainer, Ottawa-based physical therapist Margaret Martin developed the MelioGuide, an online site that tailors exercise programs to the participant’s fracture risk and activity level.

Instructional exercises as well as safety tips on how to safely lower onto the floor or pick up weights are demonstrated through YouTube videos.

The program is endorsed by the Ontario Physiotherapy Association and is also used by health practitioners across the country.

One of the reasons Martin developed the site was the vacuum of information for osteoporosis management, as well as the “one-size-fits-all” approach, she said.

But it was also to save people from potentially harmful exercises that are likely to induce spinal fractures rather than prevent them.

“One of the most common mistakes I see is when people do exercises that bring you into a forward, slouched position,” she said in a phone interview from Ottawa. “Sit-ups, toe-touches and most yoga and Pilates moves are very harmful for individuals with osteoporosis.”

The MelioGuide also teaches participants how to avoid the same slouching movement – also called forward flexion – with everyday activities like taking food out of the fridge, loading the dishwasher or tying their shoes.

“Exercising means the difference between independence and dependence.”

You just started a bone-healthy exercise program that incorporates all the important ingredients to address bone health. Excellent work! You are already well ahead of the game.

Most of you have either read or heard about weighted vests. Are there any additional benefits if you use a weighted vest while exercising? A recent article published in the July 2007 edition of the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity supports the use of progressive exercise training using weighted vests in postmenopausal women. *

Summary of Study Findings

The article reports on the effects of a twelve-week exercise training program using weighted vests on bone turnover and isokinetic strength in a randomly selected group of postmenopausal women. The intention of the study was to design an exercise-training program of progressive resistance that could be easily adapted to home and community settings, and, at the same time, diverse (and interesting) enough to appeal to a large number of postmenopausal women. The program was composed of exercises that do not require the use of specialized machines or free weights.

The results of the trial indicated that within the group of postmenopausal women who followed the exercise program over the twelve-week period:

• Bone resorption (breakdown) decreased significantly.
• Bone formation activity was unchanged.
• There were improvements in percentage of body fat, fat free mass, and ankle plantar-flexor strength.
• 80% of the group stayed on the exercise program throughout its twelve-week duration.

What does this mean for you?

A weighted vest would be a great alternative or adjunct to holding free weights during your exercise program.

How heavy should the vest be?

The study demonstrates that there are significant benefits if you progressively increase the weight in the vest. An initial weight of 3% of your body weight is a good start, eventually progressing to a maximum of 15% of your body weight.

Which exercises are most suited to wearing a weighted vest?

A weighted vest would be a good adjunct to following exercises in the MelioGuide programs:

• Marching (Beginner level)
• Heel Drops (Beginner level)
• Reverse lunge (Beginner level)
• Squats (Active through Elite level)
• Lunges (Active through Elite level)
• Step Ups (Active level)
• Band walks (Athletic level)

It would also be a good adjunct to a walking and balance training program.

Our Exercise Programs are available free of charge and we encourage you to sign up.

What weighted vest does MelioGuide recommend?

There are a number of weighted vests on the market. The vest I like is from www.walkvest.com. It is sporty looking and breaths well.

If you have experience with other brands and have liked them please share the information to us. You can reach us through our Contact Us page.

* Effects of Exercise Training With Weighted Vests on Bone Turnover and Isokinetic Strength in Postmenopausal Women. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, July 2007, 15, 287-299. This study was conducted by Panagiota Klentrou and Brian Roy at Brock University’s Faculty of Applied Health Sciences in St. Catherines, Ontario, Jill Slack with the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Nursing, and Michel Ladouceur of the University of Iowa’s Department of Exercise Science.

MelioGuide receives no compensation or consideration from Resistance Wear or any other weighted vest manufacturer or distributor.