OsteoBlast: Osteoporosis Treatment Program

Prevent or reverse bone loss in just minutes per week.
No pharmaceutical drugs. No adverse risks. No bad side effects.
Simply natural and evidence-based.

• Reduced risk of falls & fractures
• Increased bone density & muscle strength
• Enhanced balance & coordination
• Stimulate the body’s natural processes to regenerate bone tissue
• Access to our evidence-based equipment to treat osteoporosis: bioDensity, Power Plate, and Korebalance

Osteoporosis affects more than 44 million Americans and is associated with an estimated 2 million bone fractures a year. Literally meaning “condition of porous bone,” osteoporosis is a progressive bone disease where bone mineral density decreases and bone tissue deterioration and risk of bone fracture increase over time (1). While there are multiple factors that contribute to the onset of osteoporosis (i.e. heredity, age, nutrition, lifestyle, medication and other illnesses), certain steps can be taken to prevent and slow down its rate of progression, as well as further protect against bone fractures.

Alternative, cutting-edge osteoporosis treatments.

As a clinic specializing in Regenerative Orthopedics, we strive at Pacific Coast Sports Medicine to stimulate the body’s natural processes to regenerate bone tissue. In addition to traditional osteoporosis treatments (i.e. physical activity, a diet with recommended daily amounts of calcium and vitamin D, estrogen replacement therapy, selective estrogen receptor modulators, calcitonin, bisphosphonates, etc.), our physicians provide novel, cutting-edge alternatives for patients with osteoporosis (9). Our facility houses three state-of-the-art pieces of equipment to treat osteoporosis: bioDensity, Power Plate, and Korebalance.

The bioDensity System stimulates bone regeneration and increases muscle strength.

Excess loads placed on bones during exercise activities such as running, jumping, and resistance training stimulates bone formation causing bones to build in strength. On the other hand, the same excess stress on already weakened bones can result in bone fracture. The bioDensity, system serves as a preventative solution and conditioning exercise system for those who need to increase bone mass and muscle strength without the added risk that comes with conventional exercise (3,4). This osteogenic—or bone remodeling—stimulation is achieved through maximal isometric muscle contractions, as opposed to impact forces that come with traditional exercises (2,4). An isometric muscle contraction is simply a static exercise in which the joint angles of the body and the length of the muscle do not move (e.g. pushing against a wall or pulling an object that is bolted to the ground).

The bioDensity system consists of four exercises that mimic the positions of impact that one would naturally rely upon when experiencing a fall or jump. These isometric exercises are “self-induced,” meaning that the patient has full control over the amount of effort or exertion put forth. This allows patients “to safely elicit a high intensity osteogenic stimulus and neuromuscular load that is unachievable (safely) with more conventional forms of [resistance training]” (2,11). Since 2005, over 100,000 bioDensity workouts have been collected, analyzed, and used to perfect the algorithms and work-to-rest ratios to best increase bone and muscle strength. Results from the large database show that clients have bone density and strength gains of 73% after one year of using the bioDensity system, and up to 296% improvement after four years (3).

Power Plate uses whole body vibration to strengthen muscle and bone by safely prompting 25-50 muscle contractions per second.

Whereas bioDensity provides real-time feedback and allows the patient to maximally contract their muscles in order to stimulate bone regeneration, Power Plate uses whole body vibration as the mode of force application (8). Depending on the severity of osteoporosis, patients stand or perform various exercises on its vibrating platform, which “moves 25 to 50 times per second resulting in corresponding muscle activation.” These harmonic, consistent, and controlled vibrations have direct and indirect effects upon the musculoskeletal system (10):

• A change of flow of the fluid within bones occurs, stimulating osteoblasts and other bone remodeling cells (6)
• May temporarily alter levels of hormones (testosterone and growth hormone) that are associated with bone remodeling regulation (12)
• Sensory receptors within the muscle of the body are activated, initiating muscle contractions and thereby strengthening muscle and loading the bones (13).

The research literature shows that whole body vibration treatments, over a period of 6-12 months, significantly increase bone mineral density in not only those with osteoporosis, but also those who are postmenopausal, obese, and diagnosed with scoliosis (7,8,13). One study found that those who completed the whole body vibration regimen increased bone mineral density up to 5.4%, while bone mineral densities of the control group were found to decrease up to 1.3% (6).

Improving balance, coordination, flexibility, mobility, and strength with Korebalance.

In order to supplement bone regeneration within our osteoporotic patients, we use Korebalance to provide state-of-the-art balance training to further prevent bone fracture that may result from falls. Of the fractures sustained by osteoporotic patients, hip fractures are the most serious, physically debilitating, and costly. It is estimated that around $37,000 per patient is spent on hip fracture surgery and treatments (9). Many falls are due to poor balance and practitioners at Pacific Coast Sports Medicine take a whole body approach to the well-being and enhancement of muscular movement of our patients.

Korebalance is a novel system that uses virtual simulation and proprioceptive feedback in order to train balance. It is an all-in-one device that trains strength, flexibility, mobility, and coordination not only in elderly osteoporotic patients, but also military pilots, recreational athletes, and professional athletes. Variable Speed Reaction Training is one of its many features that challenges patients to exercise their cognition, vision, and proprioception thereby fine-tuning their balance (5).

Pacific Coast Sports Medicine is on the forefront of Regenerative Orthopedics. Our osteoporosis treatment techniques can be safely used in conjunction with the therapies your personal physician has already placed you on. In some cases, patients are able to discontinue medications that may have unwanted risks and side effects. You are invited to consult one of our Regenerative Orthopedics physicians and explore our treatment options available to naturally combat osteoporosis.

References:

1. Calcium and Bone Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/vitamins/calcium.html. Accessed December 3, 2014. Modified April 6, 2011.
2. Dai B, Heinbaugh EM, Moynes RC, Rockey SS, Smith DT. The relationships of force generation between bioDensity training and similar athletic tasks. Poster at American Society of Biomechanics Meeting, Omaha, NE. 2013.
3. Ellis G. bioDensity Isometric Technology Conceptual Framework. http://www.sportspeople.com.au/sp/position/getfile.asp?FileID=4177. Accessed November 18, 2014.
4. Jaquish J. Multiple-of-bodyweight axial bone loading using novel exercise intervention with and without bisphosphonate use for osteogenic adaptation. Osteoporosis Int. 2013;198(24 Supplement 4):S594-S595.
5. Korebalance Presentation PDF. Medical Device Depot Web site. http://www.meddevicedepot.com/PDFs/korepresentation.pdf. Accessed December 3, 2014.
6. Lai et al. Effect of 6 months of whole body vibration on lumbar spine bone density in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. Clin Interv Aging. 2013;8:1603-1609.
7. Lam TP, Ng BK, Cheung LW, Lee KM, Qin L, Cheng JC. Effect of whole body vibration (WBV) therapy on bone density and bone quality in osteopenic girls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a randomized, controlled trial. Osteoporos Int. 2013;24(5):1623-26.
8. Ligouri GC, Shoepe TC, Almstedt HC. Whole body vibration training is osteogenic at the spine in college-age men and women. J Hum Kinec. 2012;31:55-68.
9. OrthoInfo Web site. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00232. Accessed December 1, 2014. Modified August 2009.
10. Power Plate FAQ. Power Plate Web site. http://powerplate.com/news-and-media/faq. Accessed December 4, 2014.
11. Smith DT, Moynes RA, Rockey SS, Conviser J, Skinner JS. BioDensity: a novel resistance training approach and learning effects in 1,685 males and 2,689 females. J Nov Physiother. 2014;4(3):1000215.
12. Totosy de Zepetnek JO, Giangregorio LM, Craven BC. Whole-body vibration as potential intervention for people with low bone mineral density and osteoporosis: a review. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2009;46(4):529-542.
13. Zaki ME. Effects of whole body vibration and resistance training on bone mineral density and anthropometry in obese postmenopausal women. J Osteoporos. 2014;2014:702589.