A list of exercises to avoid can leave you wondering what is left. We help you find what you can do and learn useful modifications. Your fracture history, symptoms and movement skills guide the plan, so you can build strength with more confidence.
One-on-one PT with Dr. Emily Warren, DPT, Cert. MDT. No referral needed. In-person care in Holladay, serving Greater Salt Lake City, and virtual coaching from anywhere.
Being told to “be careful” can leave you unsure whether it is okay to exercise at all. A more useful plan explains the movement to change, an alternative you can practice, and how to progress. You do not have to figure out every exercise decision from a scan score.
Exercise modifications · After a compression fracture · Strength training · Common questions · Appointments and classes
What can you do instead? Four useful modifications
These are options to discuss and practice, not a routine everyone should start. Fracture history, symptoms and balance change the starting point. If you have a recent fracture or new, sudden back pain, use the medical guidance below before increasing exercise.
| Movement to modify | An alternative to explore | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-ups or repeated crunches | A wall plank that works your trunk while keeping your spine neutral. | Start at a manageable angle; ask for help if your back, shoulders or wrists limit the position. |
| Toe touches or lifting with a rounded back | Practice bending at your hips with a neutral spine before adding a load. | Can you keep the agreed technique through the movement? Shorten the reach if needed. |
| Pilates roll-downs or deep forward folds | Use a version with less spinal curling and a controlled, comfortable range. | Tell the instructor about fractures and ask to see the modification before the class begins. |
| Jumping when balance or fracture history makes it unsuitable | Start with appropriate low-impact weight-bearing activity, such as walking, alongside strength and balance work. | Choose a stable surface and an amount you can manage; discuss any increase in impact. |
See Osteoporosis Canada’s wall-plank and hip-hinge examples. Bring the exercise you are unsure about to your visit so we can practice an appropriate version together.
DPT, Cert. MDT
Your story comes first with Dr. Emily
Emily’s early work in neurological rehabilitation shaped her interest in movement, pain and what people want to get back to.
Emily is BoneFit trained. Your fracture history, medical guidance, strength and balance help determine where to begin. She explains the purpose of each movement, watches your technique and helps you build a routine with a challenge appropriate for you.
Meet Emily and explore her approach · Request a Free Case Review to discuss how to feel stronger in the activities you enjoy.
What exercises should I avoid after a spinal compression fracture?
Follow your treating clinician’s restrictions while the fracture heals. An online exercise list cannot determine whether your fracture is stable or whether you are ready to lift. Ask for advice about daily tasks as well as workouts, including getting out of bed, reaching, carrying and bending.
If you have osteoporosis and new or sudden back pain, seek medical assessment before increasing exercise loads. Bring any fracture report and activity restrictions to PT.
Exercises to avoid or modify with osteoporosis
The common issue is how the spine is loaded, how far and how quickly you move, and whether you might fall. The examples below are starting points for a conversation, not an exercise prescription. The Too Fit To Fracture expert-consensus study recommends adapting activity to fracture risk, previous activity and the person’s needs rather than applying the same restrictions to everyone.
1. Sit-ups and crunches
Repeated trunk curling can place stress on vulnerable vertebrae. Ask about a trunk-strengthening alternative that avoids that repeated spinal flexion, and have your therapist check your technique.
2. Toe touches and forward bends under load
Discuss a hip-hinge approach instead of rounding through your spine to reach down. Practice the pattern before adding weight. The same question applies to picking up a laundry basket or gardening, not only a gym exercise.
3. Heavy or fast twisting exercises
Loaded, rapid or end-range spinal rotation may need modification. Tell your therapist the exact exercise or sport you want to keep doing, rather than assuming every activity described as “core work” is appropriate.
4. High-impact activities with fall risk
Impact is not suitable for every person with osteoporosis, especially with a fracture history. Choose an appropriate level of weight-bearing activity with your clinician. Balance, terrain and prior experience matter when discussing hiking, running or skiing.
5. Deep bending and twisting in yoga, Pilates or mobility classes
Ask for modifications to deep forward folds, forced twists and repeated spinal curling. A class label alone does not tell you whether the movements fit your needs. Share your fracture history with the instructor and review uncertain movements with a clinician.
6. Rowing or lifting with repeated spinal rounding
Have someone qualified assess the actual movement and load before deciding whether a machine or lift is appropriate. Ask: “Can I maintain the technique we discussed through the whole set, including when I am tired?” Avoid treating a substitute exercise as automatically risk-free.
What exercises should you build toward?
A bone-health plan should address strength, balance and appropriate weight-bearing activity. The starting point may be quite different for someone recovering from a fracture and someone who already trains regularly. A physical therapist can assess strength, posture, balance and movement, then help select and progress exercises.
Bring a concrete goal: climbing stairs, carrying groceries, getting up from the floor or returning to a favorite trail. Ask which exercise supports that goal and how you will know when to progress. A DEXA result informs the conversation, but it does not set a universal lifting limit.
What does the LIFTMOR research actually show?
The LIFTMOR randomized trial studied supervised high-intensity resistance and impact training in selected postmenopausal women with low bone mass. The training group had better bone-density and functional outcomes than the comparison group. One minor lower-back spasm was reported; the study does not show that heavy lifting is risk-free or appropriate for everyone.
Its supervised setting matters. Do not copy trial loads or impact drills as a home starting routine. Read the original LIFTMOR trial and our LIFTMOR explanation for the study context.
How should you progress?
Agree on a starting exercise and load, practice the technique, and review the response before increasing the challenge. Ask how pain, fatigue, balance or a new medical restriction should change the plan. Progression is a decision made over time, not a promise to reach a particular weight in a fixed number of weeks.
What about walking and Utah’s outdoor activities?
Walking can be a valuable part of staying active. It does not replace every element of a program that also addresses muscle strength and balance. For hiking or skiing, discuss your usual terrain, fall history and the demands of the activity with your clinician. You can work toward a meaningful goal without assuming every form of impact is appropriate.
Explore walking and bone health, bone-density exercise options, and balance and fall-prevention care.
What progress looked like in the LIFTMOR research
There is a measurable reason to train for bone health. In LIFTMOR, postmenopausal women with low bone mass completed eight months of supervised resistance and impact training. Average lumbar-spine bone density rose 2.9%, compared with a 1.2% decline with low-intensity home exercise. Strength and physical-function measures also improved. Read the trial.
These are study averages; your progress is assessed individually. We use the research to guide purposeful, progressive training with coaching. See the full results, including how many participants maintained or increased spine bone density.
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Frequently asked questions
Are resistance bands safe for osteoporosis?
Bands are one way to provide resistance, but the exercise, setup and your technique still matter. Ask whether a band exercise fits your current needs and how to make it appropriately challenging. Bands do not have to be dismissed simply because another person is ready for heavier weights.
How heavy should I lift with osteoporosis?
There is no single safe weight that applies to everyone. Review fracture history, symptoms, medical advice and movement technique before selecting loads. A research protocol’s training intensity is not a personal prescription.
Can I do mobility classes?
You may be able to continue with suitable modifications. Review the specific movements with your therapist and instructor, especially if you have had a spine fracture. Ask for a demonstrated alternative rather than only a list of prohibited poses.
Should I stop all exercise after a compression fracture?
Ask your treating clinician which activities are allowed now and when to reassess. Your recovery plan should distinguish temporary restrictions from longer-term movement goals. Do not use this article to override fracture precautions.
Is swimming good for osteoporosis?
Swimming can support fitness, but it is not weight-bearing exercise. Ask how to combine activities you enjoy with strength, balance and weight-bearing work that fits your health and abilities.
Watch Dr. Emily’s movement and Strong Bones Strength Class videos
These existing demonstrations introduce movement ideas and the class setting. They do not establish that a specific exercise is suitable for your fracture history or current symptoms.
See what supported strength training looks like
An exercise plan feels more useful when you know how to put it into practice. In this video, Dr. Emily explains how we bring individual coaching into our small bone-strengthening classes: watching your form, adjusting exercises and helping you work through questions or aches. We want you to feel supported as you build strength and confidence.
Choose your next step: individual PT or Strong Bones Strength Class
Dr. Emily Warren, DPT, Cert. MDT, is BoneFit trained. At Mindful Movement PT, you can ask for help connecting your medical recommendations with the activities you want to do.
- Individual assessment: ask about bone-health physical therapy if symptoms, balance concerns or uncertainty about an exercise need closer attention.
- Supervised class: explore Strong Bones Strength Class and ask how suitability and starting level are assessed.
- Virtual option: virtual coaching appointments are available for general movement education and wellness goals. Clinical PT is a separate service; the clinic confirms eligibility and appointment type.
All in-person care takes place in Holladay, serving Greater Salt Lake City. Request a Free Case Review or call/text (385) 332-4939. Bring your scan report, fracture history and a question about an activity that matters to you.
About the clinician: Dr. Emily Warren, DPT, Cert. MDT, owner of Mindful Movement PT and BoneFit-trained physical therapist.
Updated September 11, 2026. General education; exercise selection requires individual assessment.
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