Osteoporosis and weight training

[squat_gnome]

Hello Mr. Rippetoe

I ask my question from another topic here, also this time I attached the scanned DEXA scan reports for you.

I have a mother, 51y old, she was diagnosed with advanced Osteoporosis recently. I convinced her to do some exercises.
She wasn't so friendly toward the idea, and I had to force her like a kid to do body-weight squats (ass to calf type) and pushups.

At first she was struggling, but now she does them without a problem and loves them since saw the influence of squatting on her lifestyle (she don't need to beg someone else to carry the groceries up stairs to 4th floor anymore).

So now I'm thinking about going beyond body-weight, and tell her to do some weighted squats. of course really slow and steady progression.
I'm thinking about telling her to hold empty gallons in each hand, and fill them with a little more water each workout, progressively reaching a point where she can squat with both gallons full of water (8KG).

Just don't know if it's alright for her condition.
I asked her doctor, but she didn't understand what the fuck I was talking about, even told me to avoid making her do body-weight squats. the doc is clearly an idiot as you see.

The main question here is, does Osteoporosis get better with weight training (over time)?? or weight training just helps to prevent Osteoporosis and won't help anymore when you're in deep shit and currently have an advanced Osteoporosis?

Also if you permit, I want to buy one of those small barbells with light plates for my mother to squat and deadlift with.

Thank you in advance

[Mark Rippetoe]

Loaded weight training, done at the appropriate progressive-increasing level, is probably the only thing that will help her. She already knows this from her recent experience. Be careful, but go up in load. And have her read this: http://startingstrength.com/index.ph...s_big_medicine

[squat_gnome]

Is there any maximum weight limit for her in the future? I mean is there any red line that shall not be passed?

She's also getting Fosamax, and calcium and multi-vitamin/mineral supplements.

Is increasing 1KG per week for squats/deadlift a good pace to progress? or is it too fast for her?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I don't know the answers to these questions, because I don't know her.

[squat_gnome]

Thank you

I think progressing to 10KG wouldn't have any risk for her bones, and after that milestone, I will increase the load very slowly and carefully, what I'm hoping is that she'll feel pain in her bones if the weight is too much for the bones to tolerate.

Do you think the bold section is any correct? or am I dead wrong?

[Mark Rippetoe]

No, I don't think that's correct. I think if she goes up 1kg/week in her squat and something comparable in the other lifts, she can adapt that quickly. There are no hard and fast rules -- like 10 kg -- for this, and you don't seem to have the experience necessary to make decisions like this. Go VERY FUCKING SLOWLY, but go up.

[veryhrm]

Those DEXA reports and attachments say "severe Osteopenia" not Osteoperosis and if you look at the "t-values" they list she's right at the line where it would be callled Osteoperosis. So was her diagnosis of "advanced osteoperosis" based on other factors?

My point is that the dexa report implies it's prob something she should try to work on, but she's not made of glass. Also this Fosmax drug... based on news reports over the past 2-3 years may be bad juju esp in the long term as it stops the normal turnover of bone and thus possibly inhibits the healing of microfractures etc. The FDA still likes it etc but if it was my mom i'd try to convince her and her doc to give the lifting /exercise a shot first for a year or two and see if it hellps before jumping on that stuff. i'm not a doctor. don't listen to me. etc.

[squat_gnome]

The doctor didn't mention the word "advanced osteoperosis", she just said "your mother's bones have gotten very very spongy".
Please tell me what "sever osteopenia" means exactly, are you saying it isn't that bad and the doctor exaggerated things a bit?

Also about the fosamax, she's not taking fosamax itself, but generic alendronate sodium.
I researched the drug online and heard it would stop to work after 2-3 years and have no more effect, and also read lots of good things about strontium ranelate, but this double action drug is not available in my country, also when I discussed over the choice of drug with the doctor, she got very upset and reminded me about who's the doctor there.

As soon as the next scan shows improving progress I'll convince my mother to stop taking the drug, or maybe take calcitonin or some form of strontium salt as a supplement. fucking uneducated doctors, yesterday I visited a doctor to get checked for diabetes, I talked about the glycemic index of different carbohydrates, asshole was looking at me like I was talking Japanese.
No offense to any real Doctor, but 99.99% of the ones in my country are out-dated arrogant fools.

[tdood]

No offense to any real Doctor, but 99.99% of the ones in my country are out-dated arrogant fools.

Same in the US. Not counting the M.D.'s on this forum. Most seem to feel like they are stewards of some secret knowledge and have God complexes, throwing the drugs of whatever pharmaceutical rep brought them the best gift basket over the holidays at everyone with the sniffles.

[OCG]

she got very upset and reminded me about who's the doctor there.

Well, it should be remembered that even a GP in most cases has a PhD and went through many years of education to get there, so a less then respectful tone may be the wrong way to go. But that said, a doctors role is advisory. It is not up to them to decide what you should do, they should only recommend what they think is the best course of action.