osteopenia

[Dew Claw Lassalle]

I have just been told (after a dexa bone scan) that i have osteopenia in the spinal bones It's just one bloody thing after another!! does anybody on here have any qualified knowledge of this and if any "lifestyle" changes will help!

[emmilou]

Darren, I have regular dexa scans for my bones to but the one thing with Osteopenia is that it is not osteoporosis. Neither are reversible but the former means your bones have a lower density than they should but not severe enough to be osteoporosis.

Did you not have a following consultation with the specialist following the scan?? I'm assuming fossomax (sp?) hasn't been prescribed given the density reduction is not so severe and the bones have yet to become pourous?

I was advised to continue with the weight bearing activities and to keep active

Some people who have osteopenia may not have bone loss; they may just naturally have a lower bone density. Osteopenia may also be the result of a wide variety of other conditions, disease processes, or treatments. Women are far more likely to develop osteopenia and osteoporosis than men. This is because women have a lower peak BMD and because the loss of bone mass speeds up as hormonal changes take place at the time of menopause. In both men and women, the following factors can all contribute to osteopenia:

• Eating disorders or metabolism problems that do not allow the body to take in and use enough vitamins and minerals
• Chemotherapy, or medications such as steroids used to treat a number of conditions, including asthma
• Exposure to radiation

Having a family history of osteoporosis, being thin, being white or Asian, getting limited physical activity, smoking, regularly drinking cola drinks, and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol also increase the risk of osteopenia and, eventually, osteoporosis.

There's a lot of information out there but it's better to be aware of these things now now matter how much of a shock you might have had hope the above helps

take care

emma

*still not forgiven you for the hair comment!!*

[Dew Claw Lassalle]

really really sorry about the hair I was very very drunk and even blacked out to wake up in the gutter with the missus and her mum trying to pick me up

I have been reading a lot on the internet today and the excessive drinking between 17 and 25 ish hasn't helped, then took up cycling for 9 years which I've just read increases the risk of osteopenia in the spine 7 times then took up running in 04 which is why the leg bones are nice and strong oh and my diet is absolutely crap which will have to change and i like coffee to much! bit of a bummer really

[CL]

really really sorry about the hair I was very very drunk and even blacked out to wake up in the gutter with the missus and her mum trying to pick me up

I have been reading a lot on the internet today and the excessive drinking between 17 and 25 ish hasn't helped, then took up cycling for 9 years which I've just read increases the risk of osteopenia in the spine 7 times then took up running in 04 which is why the leg bones are nice and strong oh and my diet is absolutely crap which will have to change and i like coffee to much! bit of a bummer really

Dew some of what I'm about to tell you is fact, and some opinion(maybe fact)Years ago scientists discovered that the bones in Heavy-manual-workers were much thicker than sedentary workers.Astronauts on the other hand lose bone tissue, because they are no longer subjected to the force of gravity.

My advice to you is reduce your running and start heavy weight-training.This will stimulate bone growth, like no other training.You'll need squats and deadlifts for your back.

At the same time take a good all round multi-vit and mineral supplement with generous amounts of calcium,vit d,phosphorus etc.Your doc can prescribe what you need.You may need a lot more than the RDA of these minerals.

The training will provide the stimulus for bone growth, and the minerals will provide the material.

Regards

[IainR]

Bone forms and strengthens through compression, not tension, does it not?

This is why pure runners are less prone to stress fractures from running than triatheletes, as cycling (tensions the bone) doesn't stregthen bone like running (compresses the bone).

[CL]

Bone forms and strengthens through compression, not tension, does it not?

This is why pure runners are less prone to stress fractures from running than triatheletes, as cycling (tensions the bone) doesn't stregthen bone like running (compresses the bone).

Yes Iain because bones do not contract.Some People have said for years that running damages knees.Well it does if overdone, but I always say to people that carried out in the correct amounts, it actually strengthens the knees.

The other thing is, if athletes provide the stimulus(training) for bone growth, and don't provide the materials(minerals),the body may remove minerals from one area of the body and shunt them to another.

There is a parallel in blood.Through running we stimulate the production of red blood cells,but if an individual doesn't get iron in their diet, the stimulus is short-circuited, and the body cannot provide what is being demanded.

[Dew Claw Lassalle]

Thanks for the advice, wish i'd never gone for the scan now and getting battered all over the three peaks recce yesterday with guys who are faster makes the legs very sore as well as the back being weak.... literally crawled up winder this morning and not much better at tea