I have finally managed to get an appointment with the community physiotherapist in April 2026. I presume that physio have a wide variety of knowledge but not sure whether they specialise in specific area eg osteoporosis exercises.
I would appreciate if I could be given some guidelines as to the questions or information etc I could ask to ensure that the physiotherapist does INDEED know about osteoporosis exercises - bone impact and muscle strengthening.
I do not want to go away from this appointment with just vague exercises. I need specific exercises for osteoporosis.
I will be taking my recent January 2026 DXA scan results to show.
It’s difficult trying to find out if who you’re seeing has appropriate experience. I think that if I were you I’d ask her how long she’s been involved with OP and what sort of results/improvements she’s seen in her patients. I’d also quiz her about each exercise she suggests - which part of the body is it helping for example, spine, hips, wrists.
I’ve been working with a personal trainer at my gym since August. I see her every 6 wks for a review and to check weights. I chose her because of her experience with bone/skeletal issues.
I hope you have productive sessions with your physio.
I would read as much as you can about osteoporosis before you see your physio. Look at the types of exercise recommended on sites like the ROS and Margaret Martin’s melioguide website https://melioguide.com
Just ask straight out about her experience with osteoporosis patients. Ask her what sort of exercises she suggests would NOT be suitable for you with osteoporosis. You might also find you are getting a set number of sessions, you could ask what she is planning to do with you.
You would want her to check your posture and form so that you are doing any exercises correctly - no point in doing them unless you are doing them the correct way. You would want to work in your balance - you are less likely to fall if your balance is good.
Many years ago I saw a physio who suggested I do Pilates, she started me on a few basic exercises to strengthen my core which were invaluable.
I now do Pilates twice a week with a teacher who is a physiotherapist and I can definitely recommend Pilates. If you do that you want to be in a small group where yu can be closely observed and your movements corrected if need be. So if yu could find someone like that it would be ideal.
Our teacher has a very important rule that we do not do any movement that causes pain, even if she has told us to do it and even if it is something we have done lots of times already - if it causes pain - don’t do it. So I would bear that in mind - equally don’t be afraid to exercise because it will help you.
Sometimes effort can be hard work but that’s not the same as pain. Good luck.
I will note the recommendations and ensure I take a notebook to write down.
Also i normally do stage 1 of the ROS muscle strengthening and bone impact exercises.
Shall I show these to the physio? As a member I get sent newsletter and these exercises are in the newsletter magazine.
I am wandering as I want to ensure that with my DXA results I am doing the correct stage.
OP is just a handy short way of writing osteoporosis.
I think it’s a great idea to show the physio the exercises you’re doing. I would expect she’ll be able to tailor your exercises according to your degree of OP. I gave my personal trainer a look at my Dexa results which helped her to know what I could reasonably do. If it helps my spine is -2.7 and hips -1.3 and there aren’t many moves the trainer advised against, just the usual no sit-ups and things where my spine would curve. There’s usually another movement that’s both safer and just as effective
Another reply to you mentioned posture and correct form which is excellent advice.
I think it’s quite daunting when we’re first diagnosed but exercise and movement is so beneficial as long as we get the right tuition.
Please don’t try this, but a sit up is an exercise where you rise to a sitting position from lying on the floor. I understand that for those of us with osteoporosis, this can put too much stress on the spine. I don’t believe that any exercise specialist with experience in osteoporosis would even suggest it anyway.
I’m sure with your physio you’ll get stronger and feel more confident day-to-day.
Sorry you are having to wait so long for a physiotherapist to advise on exercises for osteoporosis. I suggest you look on the Royal Osteoporosis website they have videos on gentle exercises for before and after fractures, you can download them so you can use at your leisure.
Oooh no, definitely not ‘sit up’ exercises and I wouldn’t do ‘roll down’ exercises either - I had a physio show me how I could sit - she called it a ‘C spine’ but I can’t find it shown anywhere online, basically I sat down on her couch and kind of pulled my pubic bone through and upwards. I suppose doing that makes your back go in a sort of slight C shape but you would be best (safest) to book a session with a qualified physio to find out (a) if it would suit you and (b) if they think it would, to show you how to do it.
The other exercise she got me to do was ‘wall sit’ - it’s like sitting in a chair without a chair - I do it while I’m cleaning my teeth with my electric toothbrush to time me. You will find images of that online.
Here’s what the web says about that ‘wall sits involve ‘sitting’ against a wall. All that’s required is to lean against a sturdy flat surface with your feet firmly planted to the floor and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. ‘Defined as an isometric exercise (i.e., an exercise where the working muscle doesn’t change length during the exercise and the joint doesn’t move), wall sits are super safe to perform, and put very little stress on the spine,’
Good idea to take your DEXA report with you and a notebook with any questions you think of before you go and to jot down anything you want to ask. Find out anything the physio wouldn’t recommend - what not to do is probably as important as what to do!
Might be worth reading as much as you can about osteoporosis and weight bearing exercises and you could take along the ROS exercises to see what the physio thinks would best suit you.
Although saying that - much depends on how long your session will last or how many sessions you will have.