Osteoporosis and chiropractic care are not what you would expect to see in the same sentence.

Osteoporosis is a condition where the bone matrix (density of the bone – how thick and strong it is) is thinner than it is supposed to be. Osteopenia is a less severe state of decreased bone density.

Many people think that chiropractic care is contra-indicated with osteoporosis because they believe that all chiropractors just manipulate the spine aggressively. Well it is not so, there are many very low force techniques that chiropractors use in order to attain the same desired result: A BETTER FUNCTIONING SPINE AND NERVOUS SYSTEM!

Bones are constantly being broken down and replaced; it’s the normal process of the living tissue. When osteoporosis is present, the breaking down of the normal process is occurring at a faster rate than the replacement. Decreased density and strength is the result. That can sound a bit daunting and you may ask why are you, Dr. Brett, writing about this?

One really cool (I think) aspect of the chiropractic adjustment, beyond its effect on joint motion and the central nervous system, is the effect it has on the process of bone breakdown and replacement. A chiropractic adjustment stimulates the cells that are in charge of replacing bone (osteoblasts). So when one receives a chiropractic adjustment, they are not only improving joint motion and the health of their nervous system, they are also giving a positive boost to the strength of their bones. Getting adjusted supports the health of your bones and prevention of osteoporosis, as well as assists in the process of reversing it. Please note if you have active osteoporosis, certain adjustments may be modified until the strength of the bones have improved; it does not, however, preclude you from being able to get adjustments. Chiropractic is safe and effective!!

Other things that most people are going to know about increasing bone density is EXERCISE and obviously the building blocks of bone, namely calcium. BUT, and this  is the big issue here, osteoporosis is often not that there is not enough calcium in your diet, but that the vitamins that are needed to aid in the absorption of the calcium into the blood and cells (VIT K2) and calcium are imbalanced in their balance and quantities…. Here is more on vit K2:

  • Vitamin K2 is an important fat-soluble vitamin that plays critical roles in protecting your heart and brain, and building strong bones. It also plays an important role in cancer protection
  • The biological role of vitamin K2 is to help move calcium into the proper areas in your body, such as your bones and teeth. It also helps remove calcium from areas where it shouldn’t be, such as in your arteries and soft tissues
  • The optimal amounts of vitamin K2 are still under investigation, but it seems likely that 180 to 200 micrograms of vitamin K2 might be enough to activate your body’s K2-dependent proteins to shuttle calcium to the proper areas
  • If you take oral vitamin D, you also need to take vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 deficiency is actually what produces the symptoms of vitamin D toxicity, which includes inappropriate calcification that can lead to hardening of your arteries
  • If you take a calcium supplement, it’s important to maintain the proper balance between calcium, vitamin K2, vitamin D, and magnesium. Lack of balance between these nutrients is why calcium supplements have become associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke
  • The best way to get vit K2 in your body is through superior nutrition and not by eating dead coral (most calcium supplements)!! Fermented vegetables, and cabbage juice are good ways!!!

For a much greater in depth look at the whole picture, go to this article by Dr. Mercola.

SO for your best results , you need to be crossing all the T’s and dotting all the I’s to give you the best chance. For a consultation to see if we can help you with Osteoporosis, give us a call … or drop us an email.

Dr Brett Lederle

chiroLIFE

044 382 3888