Osteoporosis resources aim to deliver ‘positive advice’ about exercising for bone strength

Resources to address widely-held misunderstandings among GPs and physiotherapists over exercise advice for people affected by osteoporosis are being created by the National Osteoporosis Society.

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The National Osteoporosis Society intends to ‘push the agenda’ for people to be active

The charity said that there was no clear exercise guidance for people with osteoporosis. As a result, health professionals often pass on conflicting information and wrongly advise patients to stop doing exercises which they believe are harmful.

Millions of people affected by osteoporosis are avoiding activities and exercises which could help them to improve their condition and build stronger bones, it said.

The charity has been working on the resources with experts, including the CSP’s director of the practice and development Natalie Beswetherick and head of research and development Ruth ten Hove.

The resources build on a new report from Public Health England which highlight the benefits of muscle, bone strengthening and balance activities.

They will be launched at Osteoporosis 2018, the charity’s annual conference, this December.

At the event, there will be opportunities for physiotherapists working with this patient group to ask questions and understand how the charity will implement these resources.

Physiotherapist Will Carr, former clinical specialist in falls prevention at Cheltenham General Hospital in Gloucestershire, who is now head of service delivery at National Osteoporosis Society, said: ‘People with osteoporosis or compromised bone strength have not received a consistent message from health professionals, and may not have been doing enough exercise to support their bones.

‘Our aim is to clarify the message and get positive advice to people that exercising, even if you have osteoporosis, is a safe thing to do.

‘We want to push the agenda for people to be active and to direct them towards exercise that can allow them to strengthen their bones safely.



 

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