OsteoStrong is a patented system of four machines that apply pressure to the skeletal system in order to stimulate bone growth. The exercises have been demonstrated through research and study outcomes to be an effective treatment for those concerned about osteoporosis and loss of bone density as they age. OsteoStrong has opened its first Connecticut studios in Greenwich and Darien.

Biomedical engineer John Jaquish co-founded the company after creating the machines in 2010 to help his mother, who was diagnosed with osteoporosis in her late 60s. After just 18 months, she had reversed her bone loss, and today she loves to work in her garden and is able to carry 50-pound bags of mulch in each hand. 

At about the age of 30, men and women begin to lose bone mass at a rate of 0.5 to 1 percent a year. In women, this rate increases in the first three to five years after menopause. More than 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and another 44 million—half of all adults age 50 and older—have low bone density and are at risk of breaking a bone, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. In fact, one in two women and up to one in four men will break a bone in their lifetime due to osteoporosis. For women, the incidence is greater than that of heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined.

OsteoStrong is not a gym or a diet. The machines have no weights or pulleys. The user pushes as hard as they can for a brief moment in four different static positions. During these “trigger” events, the body absorbs a force that mimics catching oneself from a fall. The force can be many times one’s body weight, a level that signals the body to build more bone. 

The sessions also include using a whole-body vibration plate before and after the exercises. Standing on the vibrating plate causes all the muscles in the body to contract and relax dozens of times per second, increasing blood flow and stimulating the central nervous system. Some research shows it can improve balance and support building strength and conditioning.

Working through the four machines—for your lower body, upper body, core and spine—takes about 10 minutes once a week, and barely breaks a sweat. A computer program provides constant biofeedback, so you can try to apply certain amounts of force or push to surpass marks in past efforts. The software allows progress to be tracked over months and years. 

After opening in 2012 and spreading to more than 100 locations, the franchise boasts improvements in strength, balance, joint pain and posture in more than 50,000 people. In a study of 500 clients, strength improved by an average of 73 percent after the first year and 290 percent by the end of four years. Another study of 52 post-menopausal women showed an average increase of 14 percent in bone density after six months of using OsteoStrong, compared with other studies that showed a one percent increase after starting weight-bearing exercises and a 4.5 to 7 percent increase from using medications. 

While many clients tend to be women already experiencing fragile bones, the system can be helpful for everyone, at all ages, in improving athletic performance and preventing injuries. 

For more information, call 203-900-1661 or visit OsteoCT.com  Locations: Goodwives Shopping Center, 25 Old Kings Hwy N #17, Darien, and 10 Milbank Ave, Greenwich. See ad, page 5.