Osteoporosis - Where You Wear Your Hips Matters!
Recently, several of my clients have come with a new diagnosis of osteoporosis (or its precursor osteopenia). They know a sedentary lifestyle will make things worse, and have heard that weight-bearing movement is one of the things they can do to help. They come seeking support to slow and even reverse their bone mineral loss.
So- does it matter what or how you do weight-bearing movement?
You bet!
When a bone is “loaded” (that is the force of weight put on that bone) the bone responds by maintaining a shape and strength (e.g.: bone minerals) to support that that load.*
So whenever I am standing or walking, I am effectively loading my pelvic bones and leg bones, right?
Not necessarily!
Where you wear your hips matters!*
A common stance I see includes: weight more on forward part of foot, feet turned out, knees locked, pelvis thrust forward, shoulders tipped backward, etc. These bodies are not loading their pelvis well at all! Lifting weights or even walking from this alignment will not only not optimally build bones, though may lead to other issues. (Pain in low back, feet, knees hips, to name a few common complaints.)
Simply the habit of standing with knees locked will shift your pelvis forward!
This is just one reason our hips can drift forward, and “unload.”
Now think for a minute about your shoes: do they have heels? A half inch? One? More? Any heel throws your weight (ie load in this case) toward the front of your foot and your body is forced to compensate, including by shifting your pelvis forward – thus un-loading your pelvic bones. (There are a host of other compensations that go along with this, but that’s another story.)
Try this:
Take off your shoes and socks. Stand naturally.
Where is more weight on your feet? Forward? Heels? (inside/outside?)
Can you wiggle your toes? (if not, there may be too much weight over the fronts of your feet and toes)
Are your knees locked? Calves tight?
Look down – is the center of your hip (ie where thigh bone attaches to pelvis) over your ankles? Arches? Toes? (You can also look at yourself sideways in a mirror: are your legs vertical, pelvis + knees over ankles? How about your shoulders?
Try to “back it up” a tad and bring your center of gravity (hip sockets) more over your ankles/heels. Feel the change in your feet, legs, upper body. Do you almost fall over? (Try unlocking your knees and relaxing your kneecaps!)
So yes, we need to be less sedentary. We need to move more. We need to load our pelvic bones fully! Play a bit with “backing it up” when you are sitting, standing, walking… see what you notice!
Come work with me, or reply here with questions, if you want to explore movement more!
* Katy Bowman of “Nutritious Movement” and several of her books including Simple Steps to Foot Pain Relief and Move your DNA.