Osteoporosis Exercises. Build Bone. Prevent Fracture. An Evidence-Based Approach w/ Dr. Lora Giangregorio PhD

In this interview with Dr. Lora Giangregorio PhD, we discuss evidence-based approaches to building bone, reducing fracture risk, and properly exercising with osteoporosis.

2:18: Who is Dr. Lora Giangregorio

6:18: Two different types of stimuli: muscle pulling on bone and impact. The most effective interventions use one or both in combination.

7:02: How different sports affect your bones (including tennis)

8:27: “The exercise program that a person with osteoporosis would do isn’t that different than one that someone that doesn’t have osteoporosis would do” (with the exception of activities that increase fracture)

11:48: Impact exercises are hard to introduce for those who haven’t done it before

12:22: Muscle pulls on bone to make them stronger

13:42: What types of exercise builds bone? Research says resistance training and dynamic impact

14:09: Swimmers and long-distance running don’t provide varied impact

15:04: Best rep range and percentage of effort for bone-building?

15:48: If just starting resistance training… start with good form and lower weight then build from there.

17:22: The studies that show an effect are more intense in the 5-10 range.

20:45: Can you target specific areas with exercise, or does bone-building occur universally? Bone response tends to be site-specific.

21:07: Australian Study with large response in spine.

21:39: Spine has much more trabecular bone which is much more metabolically active and likely to respond first. Harder in femoral neck.

24:53: Liftmor study: types of lifts used

26:29: Two things for preventing fracture? Increase bone strength and reduce applied loads

29:15: Why it’s tricky to interpret spinal bone density over time? Be wary of big changes in short periods of time.

29:52: Osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, scoliosis, ankylosing spondylitis… working around.

32:30: As the risk increases… so too does the need for an exercise physiologist.

33:38: What is BoneFit? 2-day workshop for exercise physiologists and physical therapists to help reduce risk of fracture.

36:14: Overhead shoulder presses and axial load impact on fracture. 38:41: “Twisty or flexy”… a new medical term! (just kidding)

39:08: Lora’s work with Osteoporosis Canada

40:43: What’s the “one” exercise program for everyone with osteoporosis.

44:36: Lora’s team currently has ongoing clinical trials of strength training in people with low bone mass. Similar to Liftmor trial.

46:23: Want to think about the balance between risk vs benefit

48:50: Axial loading (overhead lifts) with vertebral fracture… proceed with caution.

51:27: Hopping and jumping for BMD… what to do first.

53:41: Weighted vests. Why Lora wouldn’t go out walking with one.

58:30: Where you can find Lora and her work.

Resources Mentioned:

—>Claim your FREE 7-Day Osteoporosis Kickstart here! (the exact information you need to accelerate your path to stronger bones now)

Show notes and resources mentioned: https://bonecoach.com/osteoporosis-exercises-lora-giangregorio/

Where to find Lora’s work: toofittofracture.ca

Where to find a Bonefit trained professional: https://bonefit.ca/

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About Dr. Lora Giangregorio, PhD:

Our guest today is Lora Giangregorio PhD and she is a researcher at the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.

She teaches and educates people on the topics of exercise physiology, Physical activity and aging, Osteoporosis, bone health, and quite simply using exercise as medicine as we age.

The focus of her research team is to reduce the burden of osteoporotic fractures. They use medical imaging technologies to explore bone and muscle responses. They conduct epidemiologic studies to inform fracture risk assessment algorithms. Her team conducts clinical trials to investigate the effects of exercise interventions for reducing fracture risk in high risk individuals.

And Lora and her team have worked with Osteoporosis Canada to develop BoneFit, a two-day workshop for learning about proper exercise prescription for individuals with osteoporosis. They also led the development of the Too Fit To Fracture Exercise and Physical Activity Recommendations for Individuals with Osteoporosis.

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