Ankle weights Osteopenia treatments can increase hip bone density.
OK so you do not want to join a gym and work out on machines that can build stronger bone. Maybe a gym is too far away, maybe it is too expensive, maybe you do not have the time or maybe you are not ready to wear shorts in front of a bunch of strangers. That does not mean that you can not exercise to build stronger hip bones.
The exercises below have been recommended in research for Ankle weights Osteopenia treatments. They also strengthen your thigh muscles and help in fall prevention.
First, let me say something about the weights you will use. Do invest in a professional set. You do not want to tie a ‘home made’ variety on your legs. If they shift while you are working out, you could blow your knee. A professional set will can snug for your entire workout. There will be no chance that they will shift midway through your routine.
If you know how to use these ankle weights Osteopenia treatments already and just want some advice about buying them, go to:: How to buy the BEST and LEAST EXPENSIVE equipment for Ankle weights Osteopenia treatments
How to use your Ankle weights Osteopenia treatments to strengthen your hip bones. There are three main exercises for increasing hip bone density:
1. Standing leg extensions. Put a single weight in the ankle wrap (The reason you will want to start with a single weight is to get the most from your exercises. Your bones respond to ADDITIONAL stresses so if you start low you will get many more graduated steps of additional stress.
Be sure to wrap it snugly and make sure the Velcro is closed ‘all way round’ so it will not slip or slide as you lift your leg.
Stand in a door way and hold onto its frame for balance or stand by a counter top or sturdy piece of furniture and put your hands on it [the furniture needs to be tall enough that you will not be bending forward during your exercise.].
Standing straight and holding on for balance, slowly raise the weighted leg out to your side. Bring it as high as you can comfortably do so but not more than a 45 degree angle.. Hold your extended leg out to the side for a count of 1, 2, 3, 4. Slowly bring you leg back to the floor.
The slower you do this exercise, the more it benefits you. Some advise using a count of four while raising your leg, holding for a count of four and then bringing the leg back down on another count of four. If you are going to do these ankle weight Osteopenia treatment exercises to music, play something slow and smoothe.
Do 8 – 12 leg raises. Then rest about 3-4 minutes. (Note: Consider doing 12 leg raises as your goal. If you can not do 12 leg raises right away, work up to it. Do not exceed 12.) Rest a minute. You can use this time to shift the weight to the other leg.
Do your other set leg raises for Ankle weights Osteopenia treatments with your other leg.
Then change to the other side again and repeat the procedure. (Note: some recommend doing 3 different sets of leg raises, rather than just two. But the Tufts Center study used 2 sets in their study of improved hip bone density.)
SPECIAL NOTE: You should not do these exercises every day. Always take at least 1 rest day before exercises to give your muscles time to recuperate. Every other day is OK but if you find yourself tired, go with twice a week. Click here to: Buy ankle weights Osteopenia
How to increase the level of your Ankle weights Osteopenia treatments exercises: Stay with you single weight for the first week. Then, if you find it is ‘easy’, you can increase to 2 of them.. Keep with the 2 weights for 1- 2 weeks. When you increase to 3 weights, stay with that for at least 1- 2weeks. Continue in this manner.
If you need to take a few days off if you get ill or go on holiday, do not pick up where you left off. Go back down at least one or two weights and work yourself back up.
Again, do not rush to add weight too quickly. Remember our Osteoblasts are stimulated by increased stress. You want to start with lower weights and add weight slowly. Every added increment adds new stress to your hip bones. You want to be able to keep adding as long as you can. If you jump to 8 – 10 pounds right away, you will lose the benefits of the added stress of intermediate weights.
That is the first of the Ankle weights Osteopenia treatments.
2. Another format for leg raises as a Ankle weights Osteopenia treatments. If you want to add increased stress during your leg raises, do your leg raises while lying on your side.
Stretch out. You can put your arm or hand under your head. Both legs should be straight and lying one on top of the other – the one with the weight uppermost. Be sure you are not bent at the waist. Now take the leg closest to the floor (the one without the
weights) and bend at the knee so it forms a right angle (90 degree angle) to your body.
Now slowly lift your weighted ankle skyward. (Do not let it go more than 45 degrees. If you can not lift it that high to start, do not worry. With practice you will be able to do so.) Then slowly bring it down on top of the other leg. Check to make sure your body is straight. (Some of us have a tendency to tilt so our face is downward or looking towards the ceiling. You should be looking straight ahead.) Do up to 12 leg raises. Rest. Then do 12 more. Then turn and repeat on the other side.
I found that when I switched from standing leg raises to side leg raises while lying on my side, I could not lift as much weight as when doing them standing. So I dropped my weight load back to where I felt the lift but could still do it. Then slowly week by week added one more weight to improve my Ankle weights Osteopenia treatments effect.
For those who can not get up and down from the floor easily, this exercise could be done on a bed – if your mattress if a firm one. (See: Osteopenia mattress suggestion )
3. Another exercise for your Ankle weights Osteopenia treatments is the Standing Diagonal Leg Swing. Here your weighted leg moves in a diagonal across your body to the front and then continues in that diagonal out to the back.
Stand and put your right hand on a counter or wall for balance.. Move your weighted left leg forward and across the midline of your body so your toes are about even with the toes on your other foot.. Then slowly bring your leg back keeping the diagonal. Extend it.. Keep your leg straight.
Keep the line of movement straight so you move your leg in a diagonal forward/inward and then back/outward. Be sure to remain upright – do not bend at the waist while you do this exercise. And be sure that all the movement comes from your hip. If you use your back or twist to do this movement, you could wind up with a back injury!
This diagonal exercises your abductor and adductor muscles and you will feel them as you do it.
That is it. Do 8 – 12 of these, Switch sides do them with the other leg. Then repeat the Exercise with each leg. .
Note: If you feel you need a demonstration ask your health care provider if s/he will prescribe a session of physical therapy so you can learn the movements under the eye of a professional.
Buying ankle weights for Osteopenia treatment exercises
Now, as to your weights. Ankle weights come in different sizes. It is best to buy one that will take up to 20 lbs of weights. The initial outlay is a bit more but it will be worth it in the end since most people reach the 10 pound limit in a few months and then have to invest in the heavier weights in order to continue their improvements. (Remember that the Osteoblasts in your bones respond to INCREASED stress and so you need to keep increasing weight loads to obtain stronger bone density.)
This weight is so safe that it is used in Physical therapy. To read more about buying you ankle weights Osteopenia treatments, go to: Buying ankle weights for Osteopenia exercises