Wearable Device Prevents Bone Loss

Angie Szumlinski
|
February 22, 2024
Image

An estimated 34 million people in the United States have osteopenia. What is osteopenia? Osteopenia is when your bones are weaker than normal but not so far gone that they break easily. Losing bone density is a normal part of aging and it happens at different rates in different people. Osteopenia usually does not cause any symptoms, but it can be detected by a bone mineral density test. Many doctors consider it to be a first step toward osteoporosis, a serious disorder that leaves bone density extremely low and makes bones porous and prone to fractures.

Although there is no cure for osteopenia, it is important to maintain bone density as much as possible. Treatments may involve simple strategies such as calcium treatments, exercise, healthy diet, and Vitamin D. Now, bring on a new treatment just recently approved by the FDA! It isn’t a medication but rather a “wearable belt device” manufactured by a company named “Bone Health Technologies”. The device is the first non-pharmacologic device-based prescription-only treatment for postmenopausal women with low bone density.

The FDA approval was based on the findings of a National Institutes of Health-funded, double-blinded, sham-controlled study of 126 women with low bone density and was conducted at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Although HealthCap does not “endorse” products or services, I thought this was interesting enough to share. Sure, this may not be an option for many of your residents as bone loss usually levels off after the age of 60, but maybe this is something to share with your caregivers? Remember, they are aging as well! Stay well and stay informed!


Related Posts

Image that states long covid and contains images of a magnified virus.
Angie Szumlinski
|
February 6, 2025

Long COVID Symptoms and Cognitive Effects

Image of a microscopic virus.
Angie Szumlinski
|
February 6, 2025

Norovirus Prevention and Outbreak Control