Loading the Bones & DEXA Scans

Weekly Resource Roundup

Loading the Bones

I was telling a friend about my interest in doing rucking (walking with a weighted backpack) to load my bones and maintain bone density. She said she had walked with her ankle and wrist weights before and could do rucking with me. Ankle and wrist weights are not the same as a weighted backpack. How and where the load is carried is just as important as the load itself. Bone responds and lays down new bone in the area that’s being stressed. Applying load to the wrist and ankles only loads that part of the body and doesn’t put stress on the spine and hips which are the areas that are most prone to losing bone density as we age and leave us vulnerable to getting injured if we fall. Wearing a weight in a vest or backpack places the load on the spine, the area we want to keep our bones strong that’s prone to osteoporosis/osteopenia. Loading is important, where and how we carry the load is just as important.

DEXA Scan Screening Tip

Dr. Peter Attia discusses the importance of DEXA scans to determine bone mineral density (BMD) and the potential blind spot to DEXA scans results. DEXA scans typically provide only the total body Z-score for bone and don’t break it out for hip and spine. The Z-score is based on the average bone density of people the same age, sex and size.  A diagnosis of osteoporosis can’t be made without knowing the bone density for the hip and spine. A FRAX (fracture risk assessment) tool can be included in the report. It will show the bone density in a portion of the femur (thigh bone) and can show the trabecular bone score which reflects the bone density in the spine. The results will be classified as normal, partially-degraded, and degraded.

Movement To Try

Different pumpkin holds. Katy Bowman shows the different ways to carry 13 pounds of pumpkin(s). She explains how carrying the loads impacts the body and our alignment.

Inspiration

How to get up from the floor- MacGyver style! Occupational Therapist, Rhonda B. shows the different ways and creative ways to get up off the floor after a fall.