Good job, @conmama !
Thanks to encouragement this thread, I called Aetna today. The Aetna rep confirmed that a bone scan is on my plan’s “preventive list”… thus there will be 100% coverage (ie no need to first meet my $2700 deductible). I’ll ask about it at my annual physical next November.
Evenity has some cardiovascular side effects that are a concern for some (including me). It is relatively new. I may try it.
Had anyone had their doctor approve the bone shock routine? I have to be honest, if your bones are fragile or “lesser than” - why would it be a good idea to “shock” them? Not to mention that it doesn’t look good for your knees…
In order to start a treatment like Evenity you will likely have to be proven to be a good candidate for it - there may be “prerequisites “
Good question. The studies that were cited on the saveourbones.com site were about bone density improvement in young female athletes. They show increases in BMD but no evidence one way or another about fracture risk.
Increase in femoral bone density in young women following high-impact exercise
Effect of low-repetition jump training on bone mineral density in young women
Mayo Clinic says no to high-impact exercise with osteoporosis:
If you have osteoporosis, don’t do the following types of exercises:
High-impact exercises. Activities such as jumping, running or jogging can lead to fractures in weakened bones. Avoid jerky, rapid movements in general. Choose exercises with slow, controlled movements. If you’re generally fit and strong despite having osteoporosis, however, you might be able to engage in somewhat higher-impact exercise than can someone who is frail.
I doubt that there would be any large-scale studies of high-impact exercise of women with BMD scores in the osteoporotic range because of ethical concerns – the problem is what happens when someone in the jumping group breaks a bone.
But here is a study comparing the effects of high-impact exercise on pre- and post-menopausal women. The pre-menopausal women had a significant increase in BMD after 5 months, while no benefit was seen in the post-menopausal women even after 18 months. Conclusion: " It appears that premenopausal women respond positively to this brief high‐impact exercise but postmenopausal women do not."
Pre‐ and Postmenopausal Women Have Different Bone Mineral Density Responses to the Same High‐Impact Exercise
https://asbmr.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1359/jbmr.1998.13.12.1805
(Note: as of today I’ve managed to scare off my PCP with my questions; she has referred me to a rheumatologist because apparently they know more about osteoporosis. The links above are just a small sample of what happens when I start thinking I want to “investigate” something.)
My high-deductible plan would not give me a clear answer as to whether it would have been covered – I think it might have been if there were other risk factors present, but not for me at age 63 when I was asking. So I just opted to wait until 65 when Medicare would cover for certain. But I do regret not having baseline numbers – I really wish I could have a time machine and see what my numbers were at age 50 (the time of my life when I was heaviest, and prior to menopause) – and then again at age 60.
Great news on the covered DEXA, Colorado_mom!
Sadly, I’m guessing most of us here don’t fit in the “young women” group!
I have clearance from my doctor to run. I’ve been running for several years and am moderate in terms of pace and distance. I do take steps to run more on even surfaces - not trails with tree roots or roads with potholes!
Going to a rheumatologist is often a recommendation. To be fair to your PCP, I applaud them for referring you to a specialist who has more experience in your condition.
My first bone density exam was at age 52. The next at 55, then at 59 and 62.
After my baseline scan the next 2 showed T scores slowly getting worse.
However I received a big surprise when I had my last bone scan in May 2019 (age 62). Compared to April 2016 , my T scores for spine and neck were slightly improved. For my hip the Bone Mineral Density was “significantly increased”!
The only thing I had done differently during that time was start a running program. I literally started running in the spring of 2016 and became a regular runner.
I don’t suggest that for everyone. But clearly it was beneficial for me.
I think it’s disappointing that the bone shock isn’t increasing bone density, but it doesn’t say that it’s making it worse. It might actually help in maintain the status quo. Isn’t it the same type of pounding a runner would do, which is a form of bone shocking? Since many of us can’t run, this might at least help.
Not saying that running is fully beneficial but a runner with good form should not be slamming their heels with each step - that’s a no no. Your full foot does not take the impact which is what will help keep you injury free.
The fact that none of us (that I recall) of many on this thread who have been diagnosed with some stage of osteo have been recommended by a medical professional to participate in bone shocking seems to be a good reason to not do it without consulting your medical provider.
The same would go for brisk walking! Good cushioned shoes with walking in mind, and good technique while walking is better than walking on shoes with no support, etc.
My doc didn’t recommend bone shocking per se, as someone described it upthread, but she did say that jumping rope was fantastic because of the impact. Also, it’s been shown that female tennis players have better bone density than female swimmers – again, because of the impact.
I will get off my bone shocking soapbox. I think my comments re: no one here with a script to bone shock + comments on the example video of injuries/advice against from doctors, etc. + evidence that applies only to younger woman + little notation from known reputable sources online seems like it might raise an eyebrow to the practice.
No quick fix, do at your own risk.
I have mentioned tai chi but also want to mention Nia, a low impact combination of jazz dance, martial arts, and yoga. https://nianow.com/
Tai Chi is relaxing, Nia is fun- and both help bones with only low impact.
@abasket, your comments are heard and good ones. It’s always good to talk to your doctor. But I’ve watched 2 physical therapists include this in their osteoporosis DVD’s and honestly, feel like they would know more than my general GP. I find the testing credible and believe it. It won’t grow bone, but like all the other things we do (take vitamins), it may help keep more loss at bay. The tapes I watch show the therapists bending knees to help absorb the impact.
Although you may not be pounding your heels, you still are pounding your skeletal muscles when running. But I understand where you are coming from. It doesn’t hurt us all who are doing it to research it more.
Swimming is great exercise. It is not a weight bearing exercise.
Here is a comparison between heel strike and forefoot strike running in terms of forces involved:
http://barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/4BiomechanicsofFootStrike.html
Before padded shoes (or any shoes) were invented, humans had to forefoot strike when running, since running even a few steps barefoot while heel striking would be too painful.
I am a heel striker and pronator. I ran long distance in high school, and I continued running for many years. Unfortunately, my hips grew to dislike me running - not sure whether my form, which I did unsuccessfully try to change through the years, contributed. But I had to stop running and high impact aerobics in my early 40’s, when my body revolted. I sometimes wonder if I would have less bone loss had I been able to continue exercising with more impact, but life is a balancing act.
Thanks for mentioning Nia. It’s one of the choices on my weekly subscription to local rec center zoom fitness classes. Tomorrow I may try their new class - Soca music (closely related to calypso. Usually I only do the Monday zoom zumba gold class … want to try some other options too.
Today was my first outdoor run in nearly 2 weeks. We had that BIG storm with 2 feet of snow Sun 3/14, then a few more inches last Sunday. A few days ago I took a walk at lake trail and verified the dirt part was dry. Imagine my surprise when I found one patch of about 100 yards of snow (of 3.5 miles, combo dirt and sidewalk). It’s a low traffic area in far reaches of the dirt trail, and evidently it gets less sun exposure (no trees in that section). So that became my slow/recover part of the workout.
I love Nia. And if a teacher uses different kinds of music each week, all the better. It really gets the endorphins going.
(From the Cleveland Clinic Osteoporosis website) “You can also improve your bone density with bone-loading exercises. An excellent one is stomping. All you need to do is stomp your feet, four stomps on each foot twice a day, using enough force to crush a soda can. This can lead to an increase in bone density in your hips. ”. Stomping/jarring - similar kind of thing to what I am doing. It is not good running technique to hit your heel hard, obviously… but the benefits I am looking for is to shock my bones as much as I can in the least amount of time and with the least effort. My last BMD scan was no worse that my previous one taken 2 years earlier…