By: Rani Helvey-Byers, PT, DPT, OCS If you’ve been told you have osteopenia or osteoporosis, it’s natural to feel cautious about movement—especially anything involving weights. Many women are advised to “be careful,” “avoid heavy lifting,” or stick to walking and light exercise. In reality, this advice is not only outdated, but may be doing you...
By: Erica Tran, PT, DPT, OCS Background For most of my life, osteoporosis felt like something I would deal with later. Something for my future self. Something that showed up in your 60s after a doctor ordered a DEXA scan and told you your bones were fragile. But bone loss does not suddenly appear at...
By: Rani Helvey-Byers, PT, DPT, OCS When we think of exercises that keep us strong and healthy, we often picture walking, lifting weights, or stretching. But did you know that something as simple as jumping can be one of the best things you can do for your bones? Why Bone Density Matters Our bones are...
By: Rani Helvey-Byers, PT, DPT, OCS The Truth About Midlife Strength: It’s About Health, Not Vanity As we enter our 40s and 50s, our bodies begin to change — sometimes dramatically. Muscle mass decreases, metabolism slows, bone density decreases, and aches and pains become more noticeable. Hormonal shifts during perimenopause and menopause only accelerate these...
By Kristin Carpenter, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT The hormonal decline resulting from the menopausal transition (ie: perimenopause) is characterized by detrimental impacts on health including: increased cardiometabolic risk factors (insulin resistance, Type II diabetes, increased central adiposity, weight gain), reduced mental and physical health (depression, loss of lean muscle mass, reduced bone density and increased...
Studies have found that training at higher intensities can be more beneficial for bone health and gaining strength than working at lower intensities (Watson et al. 2017; Refalo et al. 2021). But what about the difference between being supervised by a trained professional, like a physical therapist, and unsupervised with self-selected intensities? A study by...
A common question we receive in our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy practices is in regards to the safety of exercise when diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis. Some patients will ask, “Am I causing more damage by practicing yoga?” The answer is no! In fact, not only has yoga been shown to be...
In our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics we utilize the latest research findings to help patients achieve their goals. Over the last few years we have successfully utilized the findings on utilization of weight training to improve bone density among at risk groups such as patients diagnosed with osteopenia, osteoporosis, as well...
By utilizing evidence-based strength training programs, Mend’s expert clinicians provide personalized care to help patients regain bone mass and achieve optimal health outcomes. BOULDER, Colorado – Mend Colorado, a leading physical therapy practice with locations in Boulder and Lafayette, wants to remind residents of its innovative approach to treating osteoporosis through specialized weight training. Leveraging the...
It is well known that cycling is considered to be a highly beneficial sport for enhancing cardiovascular fitness, yet studies show little or no corresponding improvement in bone mass. Previous articles have shown that athletes who participate in non-weight bearing sports such as cycling or swimming (and do not also perform concurrent weight bearing exercise)...
