The Bone Fitness program was specifically developed for clients with osteoporosis, risk of developing osteoporosis, had a recent fall or fragility fracture. The program was developed by Tina Ziebart and Allison Francis, both are BoneFitTM trained, meaning they have specialized training in prescribing exercise to people with osteoporosis. The program is taught by Tina, who is a registered physiotherapist, professor in physiotherapy at Western University and BoneFitTM lead trainer. Tina trains healthcare professionals on how to teach exercise to people with osteoporosis and has made a career around prescribing exercise and researching exercise for people with osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a bone disease often referred to as the silent thief because it can often go undetected. Usually, the first sign for someone having osteoporosis is breaking a bone, like the wrist, hip or spine. The risk for getting osteoporosis increases as you age. When you get diagnosed with osteoporosis, there is a lot that you can do to help to manage it. Unfortunately, there is no cure for osteoporosis but you can slow down the progression of bone loss. The main ways to treat osteoporosis are through medication, and through non-medication strategies, which include exercise, nutrition and falls prevention. This exercise program addresses bone health through exercise and education and fall prevention.
Who is eligible?
The program is geared towards people with osteopenia, osteoporosis, risk of developing osteoporosis, a recent fall, or fragility fracture or people with low bone mineral density, but really any older adult looking for some guidance on how to exercise safely would benefit from this program.
Program Overview
All assessment, education and exercise session are provided and attended by a BoneFitTM trained registered physiotherapist.
The program includes a 60-minute assessment with a licensed physiotherapist. This assessment will determine if the person is eligible for the Bone Fitness program and describe the benefits, risks and alternatives. A series of standardized tests that measure muscle strength, muscle endurance and balance will be completed to monitor progress from the beginning and end of the program.
Aa education booklet will be provided to keep and track their exercise progress. Individuals will be asked to come to ReActive Physiotherapy to participate in a twice weekly 60-minute small group exercise program for 6 weeks, for a total of 12 classes.
Benefits
Exercise has been shown to help increase muscle strength, attenuate bone loss and improve balance which are all essential components to reducing the risk of fracturing.