It seems risky and counter-intuitive for someone with osteoporosis in the lumbar spine to start a weight lifting program with barbells. However, with a knowledgeable trainer, a slow, careful increase of weight and insistence on correct form, it not only is safe, but may be one of the most effective ways to reverse osteoporosis. I've watched some videos and read testimonies of women in their 60s and even 90s who can start weight training and reap great results for bone density and overall health and mobility. There's a method and associated group of gyms called Starting Strength that has posted many resources online. Learn more about it here and watch the video of 91-year-old Virginia Gustafson explaining how strength training has improved her life. Another video talks directly about how barbell training helped a woman named Patricia to gain 7% of bone density in her spine, reversing her diagnosis of osteoporosis.

So I have started training at my local gym with a trainer, focusing on squats and dead lifts. It's already made a difference in muscle tone and I've progressed in how much weight I can lift. 

A friend just sent me a link to an article by a yoga teacher about specific ways to practice yoga to strengthen the spine. In the article, the teacher, Lillah Schwartz, gives tips on which postures are most beneficial to strengthening and lengthening the spine and which types of movements to avoid. She cites the work by Dr. Fishman, whose video I posted in an earlier blog.  After having lost bone density in her spine, the author tells how she regained it by practicing these weight-bearing yoga poses.