Can anyone suggest alternatives for the pilates 'roll down' and 'cat' for an osteoporosis sufferer?

Hi Annie,
A lot of Pilates Exercises present forward flexion which is true, contra indicated for osteoporosis sufferers. I would recommend you to do Pilates under he supervision of a Pilates instructor that has done a specialised training for Osteoporosis as you would need to perform a modified Pilates repertoire.
Best,
Claudia

Many Pilates exercises exert a spinal loading which is contra indicated for those who suffer from osteoporosis and other conditions which give back pain.
I would suggest that forward flexion exercises are best avoided by most people. Most of us spend a huge amount of time in a slight forward flexion posture - when driving, working at a computer or slouched on the sofa. Surely when you choose to exercise it should be to strengthen the muscles that are overstretched when we flex forward and strengthen the core muscles to keep us upright and straight.
A Pilates instructor who is also a Bio mechanic Coach or Posture Expert will be able to tailor Pilates exercises to make them both suitable for you and more beneficial.

Many Pilates exercises exert a spinal loading which is contra indicated for those who suffer from osteoporosis and other conditions which give back pain.
I would suggest that forward flexion exercises are best avoided by most people. Most of us spend a huge amount of time in a slight forward flexion posture - when driving, working at a computer or slouched on the sofa. Surely when you choose to exercise it should be to strengthen the muscles that are overstretched when we flex forward and strengthen the core muscles to keep us upright and straight.
A Pilates instructor who is also a Bio mechanic Coach or Posture Expert will be able to tailor Pilates exercises to make them both suitable for you and more beneficial.

Spinal flexion is a contra-indication. Besides being trained in pilates, I am a specialist instructor for this condition. Please feel free to discuss the evidenced based exercises we use with this client group. Regards Noni 07757180303

Try a hip lift, (or bridge) lying on your back, heels lined up with your hip bones, feet flat and knees bent: arms by your sides, draw the tummy in and gently lift your hips up, feel as if you are stretching the knees away from you! You are aiming to make a straight line between your hips and your shoulders (eventually!) Now Inhale, then exhale slowly as you roll the spine down bone by bone all the way to your tail bone. Then repeat, think of making a print of your spine on the mat you will need to use your deep tummy muscles to control the movement. You are aiming to keep the upper body relaxed, the hips level and controlled and take it at your own pace, never force the movement, rather build it up slowly over time, never move onto your neck, ever! Note: never have anything under your head for this exercise, so keep your head flat on the mat if you can. Finish by bringing your knees into your chest, to ease the lower back. Good luck!