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. 

Good news about yoga and your bones! A study reported in the journal, Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation showed that practicing just 12 minutes of yoga daily or every other day resulted in gains in bone density over a 10-year period. An article by Jane Brody in the New York Times discusses the study, noting that the subjects' average age was 68 and that 83% had low bone density. Gaining bone density is unusual at this age; however, those who complied with the yoga routine gained bone density in the spine and femur. 

The 12 poses in the yoga practice for this study were each held for 30 seconds and included the following: tree, triangle, warrior II, side-angle, twisted triangle, locust, bridge, supine hand-to-foot I, supine hand-to-foot II, straight-legged twist, bent-knee twist and corpse pose. They are pictured in this article in the Harvard women's Health Watch and below is a link to a video with Dr. Fishman, the researcher, narrating.

Another encouraging result from this study is that none of the participants reported suffering spinal fractures during their 10-year practice of daily yoga. 

Some articles (Livestrong)  have warned that certain yoga poses can increase fracture risk by flexing the spine. The general rule of thumb is to hinge at the hips and keep your back straight, bending the knees if needed, rather than curving the spine.

Poses that involve gentle twisting of the spine do not seem to cause fractures, in fact, Dr. Fishman, the author of the 10-year study mentioned above, recommends gentle twisting as a way to strengthen the spine. 

Practicing these 12 poses is something you can do at home, with minimal props. And a 12-minute routine seems possible, even if you are busy.  I'm planning to try it, in addition to my once-a-week yoga class. What a great way to start or end the day!

A new fitness center opened in our community, with the rowing machines pictured here. Rowing has been shown to help increase bone density, so I was eager to try this machine. As you pull, water swishes around inside the front part of the machine, as if you were rowing on a lake. I'm glad to be able to include some cardio time on this machine in my weekly routine.

Meanwhile, I've almost logged 3 years of weekly exercise on the biodensity machine.  A few weeks ago I began holding the exercises for 10 seconds instead of 5 seconds. Much harder..but I'm getting used to it. Here's the latest report. I'm due for another Dexa scan in December, so I'll be able to see the results of these past 2 years of biodensity training. For the first year, I gained 2% in bone density, reversing a steady trend of losses. 
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Need motivation to keep moving in the winter?  With cold temperatures and early darkness, it's hard to find time to exercise outside. That's when trying something new can help. For me, it was country line dancing.  Admittedly, it's not high impact, but it does involve some small hops and jumps, can be aerobic, which is good for circulation and metabolism, and is just plain fun.  

Here are some additional activities to try this winter:

1. Cross country skiing - again, not high impact, but great whole-body exercise, safer than downhill skiing, and gets you out in the fresh air.
2. Platform tennis - a racquet sport that is great for bone strength and is played outdoors all winter.  
3. Pickleball - another racquet sport that is played indoors during the winter months or outdoors in warm seasons.
4. Wallyball - a fun, social, relatively new sport that involves jumping and lots of movement which can help build bones. 

Today was my bone density scan, a two-year follow up from Dec. 2012. Preliminary results showed that the trend is finally reversing!  My lumbar spine score improved from the last test, from -2.3 to -2.2.  At a time of life when most people lose bone every year, this is definitely good news for me! Especially since I have seen almost constant declines in spinal bone density for the past 18 years.

I attribute the gain mainly to starting the B Strong 4 Life program with Dr. Camissa, with the Biodensity machine that pushes my strength to the max each week, along with core strengthening and posture work on Powerplate machines.   I have been participating in the program for less than 1 year, and hope to see more gains as I continue with it. Here's a brief video explaining the program.

A Chicago Tribune article today by Julie Deardorff featured several personal trainers who offer free online workouts that you can do at home with minimal equipment.  I can't wait to try them!  Here's one by Jessica Smith:

As more people take osteoporosis drugs like Fosamax and other bisphosphonates for an extended period, negative side effects are appearing, such as unusual fractures and jaw necrosis. Here's an article that discusses the drugs and some alternative strategies for building bone density.

For me, the primary strategy I am trying this year is the B Strong 4 Life program, featuring the biodensity machine that can safely create osteogenic loading several to many times one's body weight.  For example, last week I was able to press for 5 seconds 1,876 lbs. in the leg press, which is more than 10 times my body weight. Chest press was 491 lbs., core pull was 236 lbs, and vertical lift was 382 lbs. Overall, since I started in Dec. 2013, I have gained 137% in strength as measured by the biodensity machine.  My next bone density scan is in December and I'm hopeful to see an improvement rather than continued loss of bone.

This program is not just for postmenopausal females, but can work for those with health conditions that may cause low bone density, such as untreated celiac disease, eating disorders,  post-cancer recovery, and conditions requiring long-term use of steroids.

Check out this article in the Daily Herald today with a simple 15-minute circuit with minimal equipment.
Sometimes even 5 minutes is better than no exercise.  For example, this morning I ran around the block, which is an 800, in approximately 6 minutes. Following up with a double-duty stretch completed my morning workout on a busy workday. 
Start with the slant board stretch, one leg at a time.  Lean against the wall with one hand, then take your opposite foot and do a quad stretch with the one leg while stretching the calf with the other. The following two videos from YouTube show each stretch separately; simply put them together when you feel ready.

When it comes to building stronger bones, not all sports are the same. 
Here are some of the best sports for boosting your bone density this summer while getting Vitamin D from the sun as well!  

• Volleyball
• Basketball
• Rowing
• Tennis
• Pickleball
• Badminton
• Hiking with a backpack
• Running (if you eat well; shorter runs are better than long distances)
• Aerobic dancing
• Jumping rope
• Soccer

Some articles about sports and bone density are listed at the Resources tab.
Sports that will not help bone density but are great for enjoyment and cross training include:
swimming and bicycling.