I had a nasty fall at the end of last year, which left me with multiple fractures in both arms. The fractures have healed and I have been discharged from the fracture clinic, but still having physio at the hospital. I was offered a DEXA scan, and received the results a couple of weeks ago. -3.4 in my spine, -1.7 in my femur, -1.0 in my hip. Diagnosis osteoporosis.
I don’t really understand why the result for my spine is so bad - I suffer no pain in it, and I am now scared to take dance classes because the warm up exercises involve bending forward, and they can’t be adapted because there isn’t an alternative move…
I’ve tried getting advice from various medical professionals who have been treating me as to whether it is safe for me to continue with the exercises and there has been a lot of buck passing… the most constructive advice I have received so far has been from my GP, who has said that as I have suffered no vertebral fractures, and have been doing the exercises for years without any pain or discomfort, to listen to my body, be sensible, and continue to do the things in life that bring me joy!
I’m trying to be brave, but used up all my reserves after my accident. My family, friends and work colleagues are all very supportive, but I still have a massive sense of grief. I’m facing five years of taking alendronic acid and won’t know if it is working until my next DEXA scan in five years time.
I have sorry to hear that, but am glad you are on the road to recover.
You are bound to be concerned about returning to exercise after such a trauma.
Have you seen the pilates leaflet on ROS website? It shows you how to bend safely in a roll down, which you should be able to practice at home then transfer to your aerobics.
Mobilates . Com (without the spaces, no links allowed) do online classes for people with chronic conditions and love to move and disco which would be a supported lighter way to go back to aerobics. I have just signed up for a Pilates course and had my first class. The instructor was lovely and offered lots of options. Xx
Hi. You’re not a wimp. I feel exactly the same. Diagnosed 3 weeks ago. Broke my hip back in September and I feel like I’m never going to be me again. I was so active, power walking, aerobics, looking after my allotment and now I worry about fractures all the time
Thank you Triton. I know what you mean about being scared of fracturing another bone - I am conscious of it all the time. It’s not a good way to live. On a positive note, I have started taking the alendronic acid and it hasn’t been anywhere near as bad as I was expecting. I’m starting to share the diagnosis with people who I trust and I am at the stage of telling people without bursting into tears. I’m looking forward to going back to my dance classes and I am asking my teacher for advice on suitable footwear so they support my feet properly. Good luck with your journey Triton - I hope it gets easier for you xxx
I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago and still in shock too. I had a fall last summer and broke my wrist and a tooth. I was getting round to have the tooth sorted when I had the diagnosis. I had to have the tooth out and hope I can get some help as I have had conflicting information about how long it will take to heal. My lovely GP wants to prescribe alondronic acid. I wish you well as I also wonder what the future holds.
Thanks for your reply, and I am sorry that you are feeling shocked by the diagnosis. It will get easier as time passes. I’m not an expert, and I am still researching and learning about this illness/condition. I was advised to get my dental health in order before starting the alendronic acid. I had my usual regular check up and saw the hygienist and started on the alendronic acid a few days later. Are you planning on having a dental implant to replace the extracted tooth? If so, I would say get that done and once the gum has healed, start taking your medication - but of course follow the advice of your GP.
Thank you for your reply. Finding this forum has clarified next steps. I am due to see a dental hygienist next week. I had a bad fall last September during which I broke my wrist hence the Dexxa scan. I landed very heavily and consider I was lucky not to break my shoulder and replacement left hip (9 and a half years ago). Thanks for telling me about your alendronic acid. Unfortunately I had to have a tooth out. I am about to make an appointment to see my GP as I did not know stats of where I am at are available. Hopefully their online system is up and running. It’s a relatively new system but has had teething problems. Typing with one hand when I am a touch typist has also been difficult over the last few months but thank goodness it was my non dominant hand. My husband of 51 years has been more or less great bearing in mind he has taken over shopping and cooking. Thanks again - it’s a steep learning curve. I’m still getting to grips with being gluten free after the coeliac diagnosis.
Gosh, what a shock it must have been to break all that. My son broke both wrists many years ago and two wrists are really hard work. I found breaking one bad enough. So you’ve had such a hard time. Good that you can look at it as it could have been worse!
Your doctor sounds very sensible. I would do what he advises. Be sensible and carry on doing what you love - you were fine before you knew you had osteoporosis’ you are still the same person and your fractures werent caused by your dancing so carry on doing what gives you joy and just tell your teacher you are not doing anything that you think might not be good for you. Take a look at this and see if that’s any help, it’s a very good site melioguide.comOsteoporosis Exercises to Avoid, Contraindications & Precautions
Thanks. I’ve had a quick look at the Melioguide and will sign up for the daily email exercises programme
Even though I am back to four dance classes a week (1 ballet and 3 tap classes), I am planning on going back to contemporary dance classes after Easter. Contemporary dance is usually done barefoot, but I have accepted that that isn’t sensible anymore so have invested in a pair of lightweight but supportive jazz shoes, which also work well for ballet as well. I’ve told my teachers about my diagnosis and all of them are incredibly supportive, and have told me to only do what I feel safe and comfortable doing. They all give alternative options for the trickier turning or complicated step combinations - and do it in such a way that they are open for anyone choose so I don’t feel self conscious about choosing the more sensible option.
Yes, having all those fractures was a shock as the worst thing I had broken prior to the fall was a nail!
Sounds good. I do like your doctor’s attitude though and your dance teachers sound great. I imagine tap dancing will be good for your bones.
There is a huge difference between your spine and your other scores. I wonder if the spine measurement is correct. A lot of a DEXA is dependent on the operator and how you are placed on the couch. You could always look at having a REMS scan done, not cheap but it might be interesting as it doesn’t depend on the operator in the same way a DEXA does.
We do Pilates with grippy socks which is basically bare feet we do things like heel drops where we go up on our toes then let them drop (quite hard) onto the floor so I can’t imagine doing contemporary in your bare feet would be a problem - you aren’t likely to slip in your bare feet are you?
It is a bit shattering, I developed Graves’ disease in 2012 it had such an awful effect on my body, I felt so ill and I found that very hard - I used to think ‘Where is the me I used to be?’
Finding out I had osteoporosis wasn’t such a shock because I still had lots of energy, I also had an aunt who had osteoporosis so I knew all about it so when I broke my first wrist I had my suspicions.
Yes, I must admit I keep wondering if the vertebrae results are correct. I’m tempted to seek a second opinion.
I was wearing “undeez” for contemporary dance, which are basically elastic foot thongs with suede on the soles to prevent friction burns. I’ve gone backwards and forwards on whether to continue barefoot, and decided in the end to err on the side of caution and buy some good quality jazz shoes.
Sorry to hear of your diagnosis of Graves disease. It struck me this week that osteoporosis is something I am going to live with for the rest of my life - this realisation has set me back massively. This time last year I felt invincible - now I just feel like a feeble old woman… like all things I am sure these feelings will pass.
It will get easier as time passes. I’m not an expert, and I am still researching and learning about this illness/condition. I was advised to get my dental health in order before starting the alendronic acid. I had my usual regular check up and saw the hygienist and started on the alendronic acid a few days later. Are you planning on having a dental implant to replace the extracted tooth? If so, I would say get that done and once the gum has healed, start taking your medication - but of course follow the advice of your GP.