Some injuries and medical conditions have physical symptoms that are easy to see. Others have symptoms that tend to fade into the background. 

Many people might say that osteoporosis falls into the second category. At least, they might if they haven’t experienced this condition firsthand. Unfortunately, there are many people who have firsthand experience with osteoporosis symptoms. The Department of Health and Human Services reports that about 10 million Americans suffer from this condition. 

Physical therapy is an effective treatment option for osteoporosis, and treatment plans for this condition are often built around several different types of therapeutic exercises. 

These are four types of therapeutic exercises physical therapists use in osteoporosis treatment: 

1. Weight-bearing exercises — These are simply any exercises that force your body to work against gravity. This means that anytime you walk around, you’re doing a weight-bearing exercise. Weight-bearing exercises are good for osteoporosis because they can help promote increased bone density. If you can do them, higher intensity exercises are more effective at this than lower intensity exercises. 

2. Strengthening exercises — These exercises are intended to build the strength of various muscles in your body. They can be done with body weight alone, but they’re often done using free weights or weight machines. Strengthening exercises can help your muscles provide more support for your joints and bones. 

3. Balance exercises — People who are more likely to fall have a higher chance of breaking a bone. This is an even greater risk to osteoporosis sufferers. Adding balance exercises to your osteoporosis treatment plan can help reduce your fall risk. One study reports that balance training helped reduce the risk of falls that cause broken bones by 61%. 

4. Flexibility exercises — These exercises are intended to help stretch your muscles and help them become more flexible. Flexibility exercises are also great for improving joint mobility and balance. 

Find effective treatment for osteoporosis at Continuum Wellness

Ready to find osteoporosis treatment that will be effective for you? Continuum Wellness has a team of physical therapists who are ready to help you find this treatment. Our team can learn how osteoporosis is affecting you by doing a free screening on you. In addition, we’re adept at building physical therapy plans that are unique to your osteoporosis management needs. Even better, you can get treatment from home if you sign up for a virtual therapy or at-home care session with us. 

Contact our team today for more information about the services we offer for osteoporosis or to schedule an initial appointment.