There is a new program starting at Elite Fitness Lisbon in May. Older women with low bone density will be learning how to lift weights with the goal of increasing their bone strength and reducing their risk of fractures through their retirement years.
The class, known as Bone Builders, starts Tuesday, May 3, meeting on Tuesdays and Fridays at 8 a.m. The cost is $110 per month.
The program will be run by Dr. Becca Fetter, PT, DPT, who has been a physical therapist working at Ability Physical Therapy in Mount Vernon for the past four years.
Fetter noted that one of the biggest injuries she sees at Ability that could have been prevented have been hip fractures or spinal compression fractures.
“I’ve worked with too many women with broken hips, spinal compression fractures, or who just have a really hard time getting out of a chair or up and down from the floor to play with their grandkids,” Fetter said. “While of course we help people who are at that point, those declines naturally begin in our 30s and accelerate through our 50s, 60s, and 70s.
“Through my work at Ability, I see a need for more preventative measures fighting against the “typical” and natural aging process of losing strength and bone mass. Approximately 50% of post-menopausal women have been diagnosed with low bone density, with percentages increasing with advancing age. Men are affected as well, but at much lower rates.”
Fetter recommends exercise to help reduce the bone density and muscular strength loss beginning in the earlier post-menopausal years. With that regimen, people can help to delay or avoid those problems in their 80s and 90s.
“Each person in the class will start by learning functional strength training exercises with light weights to start, progressing to heavier barbells and free weights, with close supervision of form for safety,” Fetter said. “Over the first one to three months, depending on the individual, loads will be progressed to weights that are fairly heavy, which is what research shows is needed to affect bone density.”
While most people have heard “if you don’t use it, you lose it”, meaning our bodies lose muscle and bone density if we are inactive, but our skeleton can also adapt to higher stresses we place on it as well. Challenging muscles and bones with gradually heavier resistance, Fetter said. they can become stronger and able to tolerate even higher forces.
“Research has shown that this type of program is safe and effective for women with osteoporosis to improve their bone density and reduce their risk of fractures,” Fetter said. “Small class size will ensure that I know everyone’s strengths and weaknesses and will allow me to challenge each individual while reducing the risk of injury.”
While the main focus of the class will be increasing bone density, other benefits of strength training include improving quality of life, improving psychological function, improving metabolism, and managing chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Balance exercise will also be included to reduce risk of falls. In addition, the group class environment adds a lot of fun, community support, and encouragement to push yourself to do things you didn’t think you could do.
“I look forward to helping the women of Mount Vernon and Lisbon to be as strong and injury resistant as possible,” Fetter said.
For questions or to sign up, please contact Becca at [email protected] or call her at Ability Physical Therapy at 319-895-8655.