Osteoporosis affects around 2 million Canadians and becomes more prevalent with age.
If you’re over 50 and female, you have around a one in two likelihood of an osteoporotic fracture in your lifetime. While it’s not quite as high for men, the problem is serious enough that it puts large sections of the population at risk of bone fractures.
Bones become fragile, osteoporosis sets in, and the results can be months of recovery and added complications from broken bones. For people with low bone density, poor balance makes the risk of falls higher, which worsens the problem.
If you’re one of the many people with osteoporosis, what can you do?
Osteoporosis occurs when bone density is lost and not replaced by the body. Bones then become more porous (the “honeycomb effect”) and, as a result, become weaker, more brittle, and more prone to breaking from a fall. A doctor who suspects osteoporosis will usually request a DEXA scan to be performed.
This will return a T-score:
A score of -1 to -2.4 suggests that you are at risk of developing osteoporosis (this is called “osteopenia”)
A score of -2.5 or below confirms that you have osteoporosis
The bone loading exercises that are part of the BioStrong therapy help to stimulate the body’s natural ability to rebuild bones and strengthen the entire musculoskeletal system.
The exercises help to trigger mineral absorption into the bones, remodeling them, reclaiming lost density, and reducing the effects of osteoporosis. You may even be able to reverse osteopenia and osteoporosis. As added benefits of the system, you may notice improvements to posture and balance too.
If you visit your doctor with osteoporosis in Canada, the likelihood is that you will end up with medication: most likely bisphosphonates or anabolic drugs. This has been the first port-of-call for most medical professionals treating osteoporosis in recent times.
You probably won’t hear about BioStrong. However, improving bone density naturally using bioDensity – without the use of pharmaceuticals – is a preferable option for many patients.
The BioStrong system helps you strengthen bones, the spine, and the supporting muscles in a completely natural way – with just a 15-minute session each week.
For postmenopausal women, it is important to maintain bone density as menopause significantly impacts bone loss. A large number of postmenopausal women will have some form of bone density loss. According to the WHO, 54% of postmenopausal women have osteopenia and 30% have osteoporosis. This also gets worse with age as 27% of women by the age of 80 have osteopenia and 70% have osteoporosis. Bone health and trying to maintain bone density is even more important for people in these groups.
To measure bone density, most clients will get a DEXA scan done as it is covered by Alberta Healthcare if requisitioned by your doctor. DEXA, also known as a Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry is a scan using two different energy levels of x-ray beams. When these beams are aimed at the bones, they measure the bone density by measuring how the bones absorb each beam. This then will give a T-score and a Z-score. If you’re unable to get a requisition for a DEXA scan, BioStrong offers a private alternative using ultrasound technology that is more advanced and more accurate than a DEXA scan.
A T-score is a number that you get after getting a DEXA scan or ultrasound scan that compares your bone density to peak bone density for your gender. You will also get a Z-score which compares your bone density to the average bone density of someone your age, gender and ethnicity. a T-score below -1 and a Z-score below -2 show that you may be developing osteoporosis, also known as osteopenia.
Dexa scans are a popular choice for determining body composition, but there are disadvantages and advantages to Dexa scans such as radiation and its precision
As we age we need to keep active to keep a healthy lifestyle. These are five activities that you can do in the Calgary area to help improve your health.
There are many misconceptions on how to improve osteoporosis, including if it can be fully reversed, how medications affect it and osteogenic loading
It starts with an initial appointment to discuss your medical history, main health concerns and expectations of BioStrong therapy.
We will help you assess whether a program can help your condition and discuss the details of treatment.
