Falls Prevention

One of the goals of Osteofit is to prevent falls. Falls are an important cause of serious fracture. Approximately 30% of individuals over 65 years of age fall at least once per year and about half of these may do so recurrently. Non-fatal falls may result in individuals considerably reducing their activity for fear of future falls and almost half of fallers are unable to get up without help. Regular strength and balance training helps to prevent falls and it can reduce the risk of fall-related fractures in older adults. 

Age-related changes in muscle and bone also predispose people to both falls and fractures. Muscle strength and mass decline 30-50% between the ages of 30 and 80. Falls are reduced more as a result of balance, resistance, and flexibility training than as a result of endurance training.

Osteofit exercises are chosen for their effectiveness in decreasing the rate of bone loss, strengthening muscles, improving posture and balance to reduce falls. Modifications and varying intensity levels are taught so that participants work at their own level.

Osteofit Classes

The Osteofit program has two levels.

Osteofit Level 1 

This introductory level focuses on developing strength and endurance in individuals with no previous experience working with exercise equipment.  Exercises include strength, agility, balance and resistance training. The goal is to improve participants' capacity for activities of daily living.

Osteofit Level 2

After mastering basic exercise techniques, participants undertake a progressively more difficult exercise program that challenges balance, strength and agility. The aim is to improve posture and the ability to move as needed for daily activities through safe and specific movements in a supportive environment.

All Osteofit classes incorporate an education component. These informative and educational segments are provided to participants at the beginning of each Osteofit class. Topics include:

• Exercise safety 
• Basic Nutrition
• Active living
• Managing osteoporosis
• Preventing falls

Get Up & Go! 

A collaboration between BC Women's Osteofit and Fraser Health Falls and Injury Prevention. Get Up & Go! provides an entry level exercise program for seniors at high risk for falls, for those with balance and mobility impairments, those using mobility aids (canes, walkers and wheelchairs). It is a safe exercise program designed to improve strength, balance and coordination as well as functional ability, independence and quality of life. Contact Fraser Health, telephone 604- 587-7866, or click here for a list of classes and for more information. Get Up & Go! is taught by registered Osteofit instructors.

Evidence Supporting the Osteofit Program?

Osteofit is an evidence-based program designed and updated by clinical specialists from BC Women's Hospital & Health Centre's former Osteoporosis Program in association with the Bone Health Research Group at the UBC Centre for Hip Health & Mobility.

Strength and balance training, as prescribed in the Osteofit program, is an essential part of evidence-based clinical guideline care for patients with osteoporosis (Brown and Josse, 2002). The primary goals of the training are to maintain bone and muscles mass and to improve balance and reaction time (American Geriatrics Society, British Geriatrics Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Panel on Falls Prevention 2001).

Clinical trials conducted by the University of British Columbia's Centre for Hip Health & Mobility's Bone Health Research Group have shown the Osteofit program to benefit participants by modifying the risk factors for osteoporotic fracture.  Benefits include improvements in:

• muscle mass
• strength gain
• dynamic balance

Osteofit has been proven to improve strength and balance in 65-75 year old women with osteoporosis who undertook the program, demonstrating a:

• 13% improvement in quadriceps strength
• 5% improvement in a balanced movement pattern

Studies also show that the social aspects of a program such asOsteofit can significantly improve the health status of previously isolated women. However, the studies to date did not assessOsteofit in a 'naturalistic' setting (i.e., in the previous studies participants were recruited specifically for research).