I was recently interviewed (and quoted!) in an article, When Exercise Becomes a Hazard, on exercise and osteoporosis in the Toronto Star. The article refers to MelioGuide — my online service devoted to osteoporosis and exercise.
At Function to Fitness, my Physiotherapy and Personal Training studio in Ottawa, I develop safe and effective exercise programs for clients with osteoporosis and find it exciting when I can get my message well beyond the reach of my studio.
The writer, Vivian Song, did a good job of capturing some of the key messages I have for my clients:
For those who may not have access to a specialized trainer, Ottawa-based physical therapist Margaret Martin developed the MelioGuide, an online site that tailors exercise programs to the participant’s fracture risk and activity level.
Instructional exercises as well as safety tips on how to safely lower onto the floor or pick up weights are demonstrated through YouTube videos.
The program is endorsed by the Ontario Physiotherapy Association and is also used by health practitioners across the country.
One of the reasons Martin developed the site was the vacuum of information for osteoporosis management, as well as the “one-size-fits-all” approach, she said.
But it was also to save people from potentially harmful exercises that are likely to induce spinal fractures rather than prevent them.
“One of the most common mistakes I see is when people do exercises that bring you into a forward, slouched position,” she said in a phone interview from Ottawa. “Sit-ups, toe-touches and most yoga and Pilates moves are very harmful for individuals with osteoporosis.”
The MelioGuide also teaches participants how to avoid the same slouching movement – also called forward flexion – with everyday activities like taking food out of the fridge, loading the dishwasher or tying their shoes.
Exercising means the difference between independence and dependence.
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