Reversing Osteoporosis

Yep you read it right!

I recently caught up with Steph Grey to chat about her journey - when Steph was first diagnosed T-Scores were in osteoporosis levels (i.e. -2.5 or more in some of her lumbar vertebrae - e.g. L1 was -2.8) and also had marked osteopenia in other areas.

Fast forward to her most recent scan which showed T-Scores at -1.2 in her LX spine so now after a journey she is back to osteopenia levels - it's all going the right direction.

A journey with many elements and throughout Pilates has been her go to form of exercise.

Have a listen below - The main thing here is that we can all really make a positive impact on our health by taking a proactive approach. A diagnosis of osteoporosis is different for everyone. Some people fracture, some do not. Some people have no issues apart from their diagnosis, others have many complications. An individual approach is definitely needed, and as part of that we should focus on what we CAN do as opposed to being told what we cannot do.

We need to move more, move well and load our bones in a safe manner. We also need to improve our balance to prevent falls. Pilates addresses all of this and is an ideal form of exercise for menopause and perimenopause as it teaches us how to build strength and resilience, and can provide positive empowerment to those affected.

The concentration needed in Pilates surprises many people - it's a whole person workout - mind and body work as one. When we workout this way we can integrate what we learn in the Pilates studio into life outside the studio - i.e. better form for your weight training, improving your squat form, better balance, improved gait etc.

By understanding good alignment in all positions, we can load the skeleton, ensuring load bearing through the hips and the low back. Knowing our T-Scores allows us to work site specifically on the areas there are known issues but as Pilates is a whole body workout we also address everything holistically. Everything is connected and multidimensional movement in all planes is what we need to load the bones.

We also chat about Steph’s gluten intolerance which may have affected her ability to absorb the nutrients from her diet, also how she reduced stress and the medications taken based on medical advice.

You can get more information here:
www.liveandbreathepilates.com