bone density

Are you sure? I thought high impact exercise increased bone density. Not to say you should be doing high impact exercises. That'd probably be the worst thing you could be doing.

I just don't have a clue roger, basically all the info I can find relates to postmenopausal women, as my doc told me, there is just not much study done on "elderly" men. My surgeon told me to avoid any high impact exercise and to stick with using my exercycle regularily. I was thinking about doing tai chi but I can't rotate my hip to the left (doc told me "never go left". A bit of a puzzlement for me at the moment. I got no answers, just questions.

Well, the exercycle isn't gravity bearing, though it is exercise.

Of course, you still need a physical therapist, at least as a consultation. a PT who would have also talked with your doctor.

yeah right, I'll put on my list of things I need to do.

There's "sitting" t'ai chi but of course that's not really weight-bearing, although good for flexibility. I used to co-teach a class in a seniors' facility. A quality nursing home or seniors' complex (or rehab clinic) might have some ideas for exercises that would be helpful without being too strenuous.

Free weights.

At least according to this UNM study.

http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/bonemass.html

I found this funny, but not in a ha-ha way.



Elderly. Harrumph.

However what it means is that when you're searching for info, you need to use elderly men as one of your keyword phrases.

~~~

Find a physiotherapist somehow. Talk to the physiotherapist. Get into a program where you get some supervision while you exercise.

Diane will kick the piss out of you if you don't live to at least 70.

I'm guessing I could probably do that "sitting" tai chi but no idea if that's available at my local "elder center" I would probably like it if I could.

if the doc told you that, she was wrong. Do the research yourself, take it back to her, get a referral to a physio if you can. If a physio is not an option, try a kinesiologist (sort of a low-rent physio).

Oh, in terms of researching this stuff, I recently discovered that many public libraries have subscriptions to scientific journals that you can access through your library membership. Some library systems even let you access those scientific journals through your home computer once you've logged into the library system. Fantastic resource.

I agree there has been attention re men's difficulties with low bone density but I suppose it has not been comparable to the interest in women's, not that I know.

dys :
i assume you mean "osteoporosis" ?

this website from the FDA gives quite a bit of info .

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/502_men.html


apparently there isn't much much us men can do about it - just try living the good life (that's my motto) .

for women there are some meds available , but they are not always safe . our next door neighbour was put on "fosamax" to control her bone loss , but the med made her loose bone mass in her jaw bones - so now she is off fosomax and on some med to combat the jaw bone loss - GRRR !
take care !
hbg

Yes, hbg, we have a series of fossamax threads/posts on a2k..

Maybe your doc knows someone who knows something about this study going on right now

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT00345969

Mebbe some early results someone has heard about?

Definitely worth trying to connect with a doc who has a particular interest in the area.


(good links to medlineplus info at the linked page)

hopefully lifestyle choices aren't a factor

perhaps we are lucky (or unlucky - take your pick) that even FATHER TIME has not been spared by the economic crisis .
hbg

http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/men.asp

I took the liberty of hiring an exercise therapist for you. She'll be at your door bright and early three times a week to whip you into shape. Her specialty is exercycle motivation.

BBB has been participating in a bone denisty clinical trial for several years now. It is coming to an end in the Fall of this year.

I'll leave her a note to come post her experience with it here.

I've been participating in an Osteoporosis study for four years, which ends in September. In addition to the drug or the placebo, I don't know which I'm getting, I was given bottles of calcium with vitamin D. I gave Dys one of those bottles to help strengthen his bones.

The following from the Mayo Clinic contains useful information.

BBB

Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff

The strength of your bones depends on their size and density; bone density depends in part on the amount of calcium, phosphorus and other minerals bones contain. When your bones contain fewer minerals than normal, they're less strong and eventually lose their internal supporting structure.

The process of bone remodeling

Scientists have yet to learn all the reasons why this occurs, but the process involves how bone is made. Bone is continuously changing " new bone is made and old bone is broken down " a process called remodeling, or bone turnover.

A full cycle of bone remodeling takes about two to three months. When you're young, your body makes new bone faster than it breaks down old bone, and your bone mass increases. You reach your peak bone mass in your mid-30s. After that, bone remodeling continues, but you lose slightly more than you gain. At menopause, when estrogen levels drop, bone loss in women increases dramatically. Although many factors contribute to bone loss, the leading cause in women is decreased estrogen production during menopause.

Your risk of developing osteoporosis depends on how much bone mass you attained between ages 25 and 35 (peak bone mass) and how rapidly you lose it later. The higher your peak bone mass, the more bone you have "in the bank" and the less likely you are to develop osteoporosis as you age. Not getting enough vitamin D and calcium in your diet may lead to a lower peak bone mass and accelerated bone loss later.

What keeps bones healthy

Three factors that you can influence are essential for keeping your bones healthy throughout your life:

Regular exercise
Adequate amounts of calcium
Adequate amounts of vitamin D, which is essential for absorbing calcium

Entire article:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/osteoporosis/ds00128