What it is: A form of osteogenic loading, which is designed to improve bone density, strength, balance and posture without impact.
The concept: Weight-bearing (aka, load-bearing) exercise is essential for healthy bones, especially for older adults. When we do high-impact activities (run, jump, lift weights), we compress our bones, which can trigger development of new bone growth (osteogenesis). The load we put on our bones can be measured in multiples of body weight. According to the American Bone Health organization, the load required to stimulate bone building is 4.2 times the body weight.
I'm not going to reveal the numbers on my scale, but suffice it to say I can't lift multiples of my body weight. And, despite the fact that I work out at least four times a week, I'm aging out of high-impact aerobics.
That's where OsteoStrong comes in. It uses special machines to provide a short but intense workout designed to benefit your bones.
The workout: It sounds exhausting, but it isn't. OsteoStrong requires only a single, 7- to 10-minute session once a week. You don't need to do any prep or wear special clothes. During your session (the company prefers that word to "workout"), you're always accompanied by a session coach.
Getting started: Each session begins and ends by standing on a vibration board for 2 minutes to warm up. I found it jarring until center manager Ryan Dayton suggested I bend my knees a bit. That made it better.
Then he invited me to do some simple movements. He led me in an easy series of shoulder rolls, hip circles, a few squats and balance exercises (standing on one leg a time).
While I didn't have an instant affinity for the vibration board, warming up on it wasn't difficult or strenuous.
