Bone Up on The Bone Healthy Workout

Roche and GSK just introduced The Bone Healthy Workout to help women with postmenopausal osteoporosis or at risk for osteoporosis build and maintain stronger bones.   It's a series of customized exercises designed to help improve strength, coordination, flexibility and balance.  Check out The Bone Healthy Workout, which includes a video and a print version with detailed instructions on each exercise, on www.bonehealth.com 

Why the focus on bone health?  Osteoporosis, meaning "porous bones," is a disease in which bones become thinner and weaker and more likely to break (speaking of which, osteoporosis causes more than 1.5 million fractures each year).  Women are especially prone to bone loss and osteoporosis later in life. In fact, in the first five to seven years following menopause, women can lose up to 20% of their bone mass. Not to mention the economic toll: osteoporosis costs the US about $18 million each year in medical costs.

Why the focus on fitness?  Physical activity, along with calcium and vitamin D, may help bone health and lower the risk for fractures by maintaining muscle strength, coordination, and balance.  Bottom line, exercise proves once again a powerful tool in the fight for good health.