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Thinning bones
Oct. 22nd, 2017 08:53 pmSo I had a bone density scan. As earlier mentioned, I had to cajole it out of my doctor.
Turns out I have "mild osteopenia", which means my bones are starting to lose mass, but not to the point of full blown osteoporosis. Apparently I don't have the bones of a 20 year old. Ken said, "good thing, the 20 year old needs her bones!" Visions of the old Far Side "boneless chicken farm" cartoon danced in our heads.
I don't have the numbers from the scan yet so I can't look up on the web what exactly it means and how I actually compare to my age group. But they want me to do more calcium and vit. D (I'd already been doing a little) and come back in 5 years.
On the phone, they started in on exercise but I shut them up because I exercise way more than the average person. However, sadly, it turns out bicycling apparently isn't sufficiently "weight-bearing" to be good for your bones. Yoga is (well, when you're not on the floor, but in a 1-hour Vinyasa class, it's usually 45 minutes standing poses, and 15 on the floor), but I only do that once a week.
The wisdom of the internet suggests that the best weight-bearing exercises are also the jarring kind, like you get from jogging. This, however, goes poorly with plantar fasciitis and lousy knees. So I expect that's not going to happen. Cuz if my feet hurt like hell there's no exercise at all til they get better!
So, I dunno. I'll see when I get the numbers how bad it really is. Maybe it just means I'm 57 and I need to get over it.
Turns out I have "mild osteopenia", which means my bones are starting to lose mass, but not to the point of full blown osteoporosis. Apparently I don't have the bones of a 20 year old. Ken said, "good thing, the 20 year old needs her bones!" Visions of the old Far Side "boneless chicken farm" cartoon danced in our heads.
I don't have the numbers from the scan yet so I can't look up on the web what exactly it means and how I actually compare to my age group. But they want me to do more calcium and vit. D (I'd already been doing a little) and come back in 5 years.
On the phone, they started in on exercise but I shut them up because I exercise way more than the average person. However, sadly, it turns out bicycling apparently isn't sufficiently "weight-bearing" to be good for your bones. Yoga is (well, when you're not on the floor, but in a 1-hour Vinyasa class, it's usually 45 minutes standing poses, and 15 on the floor), but I only do that once a week.
The wisdom of the internet suggests that the best weight-bearing exercises are also the jarring kind, like you get from jogging. This, however, goes poorly with plantar fasciitis and lousy knees. So I expect that's not going to happen. Cuz if my feet hurt like hell there's no exercise at all til they get better!
So, I dunno. I'll see when I get the numbers how bad it really is. Maybe it just means I'm 57 and I need to get over it.
