How to Live With Osteoporosis

If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, you should know about the full range of drug, exercise, vitamin and lifestyle therapies that can help you live with the disease. While you should discuss specific treatment strategies with your physician, here is an overview of what you can do to live with osteoporosis.

Things You'll Need

• Calcium supplements
• Light weights or dumbbells
• Prescription drug treatment(s)
• Rubber-soled shoes
• Vitamin D supplements

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Instructions

• 1

  Exercise regularly and supplement aerobic exercise with light weight-bearing workouts. Studies have proven that light lifting of weights significantly improves the strength and density of your bones.

• 2

  Add more soy to your diet. Soy products contain plant estrogens, which have been shown to help maintain good bone health and keep bones strong.

• 3

  Cut your coffee drinking. Caffeine adversely affects bone strength. Doctors suggest osteoporosis patients enjoy no more than one or two cups of coffee per day.

• 4

  Use Vitamin D and calcium supplements. It helps to take in between 1,200 and 1,500 mg of calcium each day, but keep in mind that your body cannot absorb more than 500 mg of calcium in a single ingestion. Vitamin D has been clinically proven to reduce bone injuries in elderly people.

• 5

  Talk to your doctor or physiotherapist about an emerging treatment called a spinal weighted kypho-orthosis. Essentially a weighted harness, early clinical trials have shown that a daily 30-minute workout with a weighted kypho-orthosis improves posture and reduces the back pain caused by osteoporosis.

• 6

  Stick to your prescribed treatment regimen of pharmaceutical drugs as directed by your doctor, even if you are experiencing little or no pain or discomfort. Limit your use of painkillers, taking care not to exceed the recommended daily dosage as indicated on the package to prevent the possibility of forming a dependency.

• 7

  Sit up straight. This will help improve your posture and strengthen your back, as your vertebrae are particularly susceptible to the bone degeneration brought on by osteoporosis.

• 8

  Wear shoes with rubber soles and good treads to prevent falls. Make sure that throw rugs, electrical cords and all other hazards are cleared from your floors at all times. Slow down a bit and use handrails when ascending or descending stairs.

• 9

  Get to know the National Osteoporosis Foundation. See the Resources section below for a link. They maintain an extensive range of services that help people across the country live with the condition.