Avoiding osteoporosis with the Power Plate®

Building bones, avoiding breaks

It’s a fact of life: as you age, your bones get weaker. They are slower to renew and repair, their density decreases and so the risk of fracturing increases. Loss of bone density is a natural part of the ageing process, but it can be greater in some people than in others. Women, for example, are more vulnerable, particularly post-menopause, because of a reduction in oestrogen which helps maintain bone mineral density. But everyone, male and female, young and old, is at risk of osteoporosis or osteopenia, albeit to varying degrees.

Rather than a condition, osteoporosis can be seen as a point on a spectrum where a person’s bone density is considerably lower than average, osteopenia being a point closer to the norm, and therefore a potential precursor to osteoporosis.

Are you at risk of osteoporosis?

How do you know if you are at risk? Well, unsurprisingly, genetics play a role, so if there is a history of osteoporosis—or even just a high incidence of fractures—in your family, this could be an indicator. Taking oral steroids for conditions such as ulcers or Crohn’s disease may also lower bone density, while amenorrhoea (failure to menstruate), resulting from high levels of training or eating disorders, for example, can be another contributing factor.

However, even if none of the above applies, you may still be putting yourself at risk. How you eat and what you eat, how you drink and how much you drink, whether or not you smoke, whether or not you take regular exercise, all play a role in how well you manage the risk.

Managing the risk with the Power Plate®

One of the most effective ways to maintain bone mineral density is to do regular weight-bearing exercise. Weight-bearing exercise doesn’t just mean resistance training or lifting weights. Any activity—running, for example—where you increase the load on your muscles and bones counts.

When you load the long bones of your body with extra weight on a regular basis, you send a message to your body that it needs to strengthen your bones in order to handle the additional load. So you need to find a way to load your body without impact, yet with maximum gain. This is where the Power Plate® can make a difference.

Simply put, the Power Plate® amplifies gravity so that your body feels heavier than it actually is. When you exercise on the Power Plate®, you increase the training benefit for muscle and bone health, but reduce the impact on the joints—an ideal weight-bearing exercise solution.

case study

Kay Smith discovered the benefits of the Power Plate® after a bone density test at the age of 50 which showed that she had lost 20 per cent of her bone density in just two years. She was prescribed the highest dose of Fosamax but wasn’t happy about having to take pills so she looked into natural means of building bone.

In December 2004, she began using the Power Plate® three times a week. Eight months later her bone density had increased in the spine by 3.5 per cent, in the neck of the right hip by 2.5 per cent and in the neck of the left hip by 0.4 per cent (the smaller increase was attributed to scoliosis and the fact that she puts more weight on her right side).

“I was hoping to stop any more bone loss, but I actually built bone while going through the menopause, a time when bone loss is particularly rapid for women. I also completely avoided the use of drugs and hormones.”

case study

Kay Smith discovered the benefits of the Power-Plate after a bone density test at the age of 50 which showed that she had lost 20% of her bone density in...

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research findings

An article published in Osteoporosis International 2007 (Corrie et al) reports increases in bone formation as a result of whole body vibration training.  A second research team published in the Journal of Bone & Mineral Research 2004 (Versheuren et al) worked with 70 post-menopausal women who took part in a 24 week training program after which significant increases were recorded in bone density of the hip.  When we consider an individual reaches peak bone mineral density (BMD) at approximately the age of 30, lifestyle decisions we make now will influence our future bone health.

research findings

An article published in Osteoporosis International 2007 reports increases in bone formation as a result of whole body vibration training.  A second...

more

BodySmart studios offer a unique training programme using the Power Plate® in its studios in Dublin, Galway and Kildare, which consists of a supervised, full-body workout in short 25-minute sessions that run throughout the day. While the programme is suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels, research suggests it can be of particular benefit to those with bone density concerns. 

Currently about 25 people advised to exercise by their GP or consultant following a diagnosis of osteopenia train in one of the BodySmart studios. During the free trial (which is offered to everyone interested in joining BodySmart), the BodySmart staff member talks to the client about what their bone scan revealed and what joints are affected—the spine and the hip are two of the more common.  Several clients have undergone bone density tests after 6 months of training on the Power Plate.  These have shown that they are maintaining or improving their bone density—a great encouragement for all involved.