Weighted Vest for Osteoporosis and Osteopenia: Pros and Cons
If you have osteoporosis or osteopenia, you may have wondered about wearing a weighted vest when you walk or exercise. Many of us enjoy walking as our primary exercise and we want to know if there is a way to keep doing it AND counter osteoporosis or osteopenia.
"How can I make walking a better exercise for building bone?"
Weighted vests are an option. But they aren't for all of us, and adding a vest still won't make walking the only exercise you need to do.
Here are my thoughts on weighted vests:
PROS:
👍Potential to increase bone density: Adding weight above your hips and spine can help stimulate bone growth and improve bone density, which is crucial for managing osteopenia and osteoporosis.
👍Enhanced strength and stability: Wearing a weighted vest while walking can intensify your workout by challenging your core muscles, leg muscles and cardiovascular system. Over time, this can lead to improved strength and endurance, helping you better manage daily activities and reduce your risk of falls.
👍Convenient and Adjustable: Weighted vests are easy to incorporate into your walking routine. They come in various weights and designs, allowing you to adjust the intensity of your workouts based on your fitness level and comfort. You can add weight or make the vest lighter, depending on your goals for the day.
CONS:
👎Potential Strain on Joints: Wearing a weighted vest while walking can put additional strain on your joints, particularly your shoulders, knees, and lower back. It's essential to listen to your body and avoid increasing the weight in a vest too fast, or wearing it for too long.
👎Balance and Stability Challenges: The added weight from a vest can affect your balance and stability, especially if you're already prone to balance issues. It's important to start with light weights in the vest and gradually increase the load as your strength and stability improve.
My Recommendations:
👉Look for vests specifically made for women. Many vests are designed for men who wear them for weight training. These vests won't fit well and tend to be bulky.
👉Look for vests designed for walking or running. These are going to be more comfortable. They may have added reflective features as well, to keep you safe out on the road. The weight may also sit heavily on the top of your shoulders which is uncomfortable, even painful.
👉Try it before you buy it - if possible. A comfortable vest is one you will wear. If you live in a larger city, head to your local running store and see if they have a few to try on. If you order online, make sure you can return it.
Can I just wear my backpack?
👉Vests are generally better than wearing a backpack🎒. Backpacks, especially those without a hip strap, cause your posture to become rounded forward. This is not the posture you want to promote. A weighted vest will distribute some weight in the front of your body, and some in the back. Your posture will be less flexed forward and more balanced.
Added note: I do not wear a weighted vest when I walk. I do wear a backpack with a hip strap when I hike. I like my Quest backpack with a Camelback because I carry quite a bit of water with me. I also have snacks, a first aid kit, clothes layers and collapsable hiking poles. I tried a weighted vest, you can see me trying it on my YouTube video: Trying 8# weighted vest, osteoporosis or osteopenia question asked weekly!
I hope this answers some of your questions about weighted vests. As always, my references are listed below. The research is a little older. If anything new comes out, I will be sure to update you. Please note that the research article by Shaw, 1998, included wearing a weighted vest and doing resistance exercises, they didn't just walk.
Check out my YouTube channel for exercise recommendations with modifications. And be sure to subscribe to get my latest releases.
👉Thanks for sticking around and staying strong on this journey with me,
Andrea Trombley PT, DPT
References:
Shaw, J. M., & Snow, C. M. (1998). Weighted vest exercise improves indices of fall risk in older women. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, 53(1), M53–M58. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/53a.1.m53
Snow, C. M., Shaw, J. M., Winters, K. M., & Witzke, K. A. (2000). Long-term exercise using weighted vests prevents hip bone loss in postmenopausal women. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, 55(9), M489–M491. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/55.9.m489