Science

About Your Bones and Osteoporosis

Bone is a living organ that is in a constant cycle of renewal and removal. During the aging process, bone replacement (growth) slows down while bone removal (resorption) accelerates. This is particularly true for women just before, during and after menopause.²

Osteoporosis is a progressive disease that occurs when new bone creation is unable to keep up with bone loss.³ This causes bones to become porous (hence the name “Osteoporosis” and brittle, increasing the risk of fractures. Typically asymptomatic or “silent,” the condition is often not detected until the occurrence of a fracture.

Osteoporosis can be caused by various factors. The most common cause is the lack of estrogen and testosterone hormones.⁴ Other factors include lack of dietary calcium and vitamin D, smoking, and certain medications and medical conditions such as diabetes.² Low bone mass affects about half of Americans over 50, with the majority of them being women.

Diagnosis is achieved primarily through the use of a Bone Mineral Density (BMD) assessment, also known as a DEXA (or DXA) scan or a bone density scan.  A diagnosis of Osteoporosis is made if the T-Score is -2.5 or below or if the patient has suffered a fragility fracture.  Osteopenia is diagnosed if the T-Score is between -1.0 and -2.49.  Osteopenia often progresses to Osteoporosis over time.

Osteoporotic fractures typically occur in the hip, spine, or wrist. While not a direct cause of death, fractures in the hip and spine severely limit independence, and are associated with a mortality rate of 33% and 20% after one year for men and women, respectively.⁵

Conventional Treatment Options

Treatment for Osteopenia is typically lifestyle changes.  First-line treatment options for Osteoporosis include lifestyle changes and various pharmaceuticals, depending on the cause of bone loss. Lifestyle changes usually include diet changes to increase calcium and vitamin D intake, as well as undertaking weight-bearing and resistance exercises such as walking or jogging and weightlifting. Medical therapies include bisphosphonates to slow bone resorption, increase bone density hormone replacement therapy and anabolic therapies to help slow down bone loss and build bone.⁶ Possible treatments are best discussed with your physician.

Where Vibration Therapy Fits In

Based on NASA technology developed to prevent bone loss for astronauts in zero gravity, vibration therapy devices simulate the mechanical loading of your bones during exercise, which stimulates bone growth. Whole body vibration therapy has been shown in several clinical studies to effectively encourage bone growth and prevent bone loss in the the hips and spine.^7,8

Vibration therapy at the doses tested in the listed studies is safe and does not interfere with any current prescription medications or other therapeutic approaches. This makes vibration therapy an excellent treatment option in the fight to prevent or slow bone loss.