What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is the medical condition where your body isn’t producing new bone as fast as it should be, so your bones become weaker and you are at higher risk of fractures.
What can I do to improve the health of my bones?
Bones are not solid; they are living tissues and they respond and adapt when we use them. One of the ways to help maintain good bone health are exercises which build up your muscles and load your bones. This will stimulate production of new bone and help to keep them strong.
Can I do reformer Pilates with osteoporosis?
Any type of resistance training will help to keep your bones healthy (maintain good bone density), however a training programme which has a wide variety of movements and loads in multiple directions is best for your bones and that’s exactly what Pilates training on a Reformeroffers.
Keeping up with regular exercise becomes even more important as we age and Reformer Pilates is a safe and fun way to exercise, even if you have osteoporosis. That said, there are some movements which should be adapted if you have Osteoporosis or are heading into the direction,so it’s important to work with an experienced Clinical Pilates Instructor or a Physiotherapist who understands your condition and will ensure the movements are adapted to your level and needs.
Do I need to have any experience in Pilates before I can start?
Short answer: no, especially when you are training 1:1 privately (the way we teach at ourReformer Pilates studio in Cambridge). Reformer exercises can be easily adapted … so you can start anytime, at any age, at your current fitness level and the exercises will gradually becomemore challenging as you become stronger and more flexible.
I always say to my patients … as you just get better, I’ll make it harder!
How often should I do Reformer Pilates?
Physical activity guidelines recommend two strength and flexibility training session per week for older adults. But life can be busy and a week has only seven days … so it’s a good thing that any amount of activity, at any intensity, has health benefits. Most of our Cambridge clients see us once a week for in person Reformer Pilates in our studio and combine this with one of our online mat classes specially designed for older adults at home. It’s a great balance and both methods complement each other.
Will reformer Pilates improve osteoporosis?
Exercises can’t reverse or cure osteoporosis but it’s always recommended as part of a management plan for osteoporosis to slow down and prevent the progression of bone loss. The emphasis should be on weight bearing exercises which make your muscles pull and push on your bones and to stimulate new bone growth and Reformer Pilates is definitely one way to achieve this goal, so that you can continue living your best life.