Are You Too Fit to Fracture? Lora Giangregorio PhD (BonES Lab)

Lora Giangregorio PhD is research Chair in Mobility and Aging at the University of Waterloo. Her work has led to the development of the “Too Fit To Fracture” Exercise and Physical Activity Recommendations for Individuals with Osteoporosis. Her aim is to reduce the burden of osteoporotic fractures.

This is how it goes – as we get older, we lose muscle and bone, we become less active, and some people develop a bone disease called osteoporosis. Osteoporotic fractures can be the reason a person can no longer live in their own home. They cause pain and disability and are more common than heart attack, breast cancer and stroke combined. 

Researchers like Dr. Giangregorio know that exercise can prevent falls, and emerging research suggests that it may prevent bone loss. However, people who already have osteoporosis (like me) are often afraid of fracturing, and want to know what types of exercise are safe AND effective. The sad truth is that we know a lot less about how to guide exercise in people at high risk of fracture. 

On top of that, inactivity is highly prevalent in older adults. So Lora has been looking into how we can get patients to do the right types and amount of exercise, and to get health care providers to give the right advice. Her Bone health and Exercise Science lab leads clinical trials and guidelines, and collaborative work with patients and healthcare providers to answer these questions.

Website: Bone Health and Exercise Science Lab 

Website: Osteoporosis Canada

Resource: Too Fit to Fracture

Twitter: @l_giangregorio

YouTube: BonES Lab​

Topics:

• How did your education and research path lead you to focus on bone health, mobility and ageing? 
• What is osteoporosis and how does it usually occur? 
• How can movement help keep our bones strong? Can we overdo it?
• There are two different types of stimuli: muscle pulling on bone and impact. Which is the most effective or should we do both?
• How about hopping and jumping for BMD?
• What is axial loading? Can we do it effectively with resistance training at home or in the gym? 
• Is it ever possible to prescribe the “one” exercise program for everyone with osteoporosis?
• I was told my spine has a lower t-score than my femoral head, can you (should you?) target specific areas with exercise, or does bone-building occur universally? 
• What is the “Are You Too Fit To Fracture?” Program and where can people find more information that will help them construct their own bone healthy movement program.