Building Strong Bones: The PT Approach to Osteoporosis Prevention
Greg Goldberger • October 13, 2025
Physical therapy plays a major role in preventing osteoporosis and building bone resilience at any age.
October 20 is World Osteoporosis Day — a perfect reminder.
Strong bones are the foundation of lifelong movement and independence. Yet, millions of adults lose bone density each year without realizing it until a fracture happens. The good news? Physical therapy plays a major role in preventing osteoporosis and building bone resilience at any age.
Why Bone Health Matters
Osteoporosis — the silent loss of bone density — increases dramatically with age. It weakens bones, making them fragile and prone to fractures from even minor falls.
- 1 in 2 women and 1 in 4 men over age 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis.
- After a hip fracture, up to 25% of older adults die within a year — not from the bone injury itself, but from complications caused by immobility.
- Every 3 seconds, an osteoporotic fracture occurs somewhere in the world.
- By age 70, over half of women and nearly one-third of men have low bone density.
A fracture can mean months of lost independence, limited mobility, and a long recovery. The goal of physical therapy is to help prevent that outcome by improving bone strength, balance, and movement quality.
The Role of Physical Therapy in Bone Health
A physical therapist doesn’t just help after injury — they’re a key player in preventing it. Through guided exercise, education, and safe progression, PT helps you strengthen your bones and reduce fracture risk.
Weight-Bearing & Resistance Training
Here’s where Wolff’s Law
comes in: bones are living tissue that adapt to the stress placed on them. If you load them, they get stronger. If you don’t, they weaken.
Think of it like muscle — if you lift weights, you build strength. If you stay sedentary, your body gets the message: “We don’t need to be strong.”
That’s why the right kind of stress is essential. PTs use resistance and impact-based exercises that safely challenge your bones to remodel and grow denser:
- Squats, lunges, step-ups, push-ups, weighted carries
- Brisk walking, stair climbing, hiking, or dancing
- Power-based moves (when appropriate) like medicine ball throws or light jumps
The key is safe, progressive loading that fits your current ability and health level.
Balance & Posture Training
Falls are one of the top causes of fractures in older adults. PT helps you develop better balance, coordination, and reaction time — reducing your risk of falling in the first place. Postural training also helps distribute forces evenly through your spine and hips, protecting vulnerable areas.
Education & Lifestyle Guidance
Your PT teaches you how to move, lift, and carry safely in daily life — all while keeping your bones protected and your body strong.
Nutrition for Strong Bones
Building stronger bones isn’t just about exercise — it’s also about what fuels your body.
Calcium
- Aim for 1,000–1,200 mg/day (higher for postmenopausal women).
- Sources: dairy, fortified plant milks, leafy greens, almonds, and sardines.
- Tip: Your body absorbs calcium best in smaller doses throughout the day.
Vitamin D + Vitamin K: The Dynamic Duo
- Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium.
- Vitamin K ensures calcium goes to your bones — not your arteries.
- Sources:
- Vitamin D → sunlight, fatty fish, fortified foods, or supplements (check levels).
- Vitamin K → leafy greens, broccoli, fermented foods, and certain cheeses.
Protein
- Muscles and bones work as a team. Without enough protein, bone-building slows down.
- Aim for 20–30g per meal from sources like lean meats, eggs, Greek yogurt, or beans.
Lifestyle Factors
- Avoid smoking and limit alcohol — both can speed up bone loss and weaken bone structure over time.
Strong Bones, Strong Life
You can’t change your age, but you can absolutely change how your body responds to it. Physical therapy helps you stay active, independent, and confident — not just treating pain, but building resilience from the inside out.
Ready to Start Building Bone Strength?
Don’t wait until a fracture happens. Prevent it.
Start a PT-guided bone health program designed to help you move confidently, load safely, and protect your independence for years to come.
👉 Book your discovery call today
and start building stronger bones with Movement Driven.
Dr. Greg Goldberg debunks common back pain myths and shares why movement—not rest—is key to recovery and lifelong mobility.
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Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care — yet it’s also one of the most misunderstood. From outdated advice to over-reliance on scans, misinformation often keeps people stuck in cycles of pain and frustration. Let’s clear up the confusion with a few evidence-based truths every person should know about back pain. 1. Rest Is Not Best For years, people were told to “rest” when their back hurt — but research now tells us otherwise. Complete rest can actually delay recovery by weakening muscles, stiffening tissues, and reducing blood flow to healing areas. Truth: Gentle, smart movement is usually better. A physical therapist can guide you through safe exercises to restore motion and strength without aggravating your pain. 2. You Don’t Always Need an MRI or X-ray It’s natural to want answers, but imaging isn’t always the solution. In fact, many people with no back pain at all show “abnormalities” like bulging discs or arthritis on their scans. Truth: A skilled physical exam often reveals more than an MRI — and rarely changes the initial treatment plan. Physical therapy focuses on how your body moves and functions, not just what shows up on a picture. 3. Pain Doesn’t Always Mean Damage When your back hurts, it’s easy to assume something is “broken.” But pain is more like a fire alarm — it signals a problem, not necessarily damage. Truth: The nervous system can become overly sensitive due to stress, inflammation, or past injury. Learning how to move confidently again can actually calm those pain signals. 4. Surgery Isn’t the First Line of Defense Spine surgery can be lifesaving in rare cases — such as severe nerve compression, progressive weakness, or loss of bladder/bowel control — but it’s not the go-to for most back pain. Truth: The majority of back pain improves with conservative care like physical therapy, exercise, and lifestyle changes. Your body is designed to heal — it just needs the right plan and guidance. 5. Deadlifting Isn’t “Bad” for Your Back It’s not the deadlift that’s the problem — it’s the technique. When done properly, deadlifts strengthen the core, glutes, and spinal stabilizers, helping prevent future injury. Truth: Good form and progressive loading are key. Physical therapy for back pain often includes teaching proper lifting mechanics so you can move with confidence in and out of the gym. 6. A Herniated Disc Isn’t a Life Sentence Scary phrases like “slipped disc” or “blown out disc” sound permanent, but they’re misleading. Many people live pain-free with disc herniations. Truth: Studies show that disc changes are incredibly common even in people without pain: 20s: ~30% 30s: ~40% 40s: ~50% 50s: ~60% 60+: ~70–80% With guided movement and strengthening, most disc-related pain improves — often without surgery. 7. Your Back Doesn’t “Go Out of Place” Ever heard someone say their back “went out”? It sounds dramatic, but the spine is actually one of the most stable structures in the body. Truth: Adjustments or manipulations may provide temporary relief, but nothing is being “put back in.” Physical therapy focuses on building long-term stability and movement control so you don’t feel like your back is unpredictable. 8. Back Pain Isn’t Just a Normal Part of Aging While back pain is common, it’s not inevitable. Age plays a smaller role than most people think. Truth: Strength, mobility, posture, and lifestyle choices have a bigger impact on back health than birthdays do. Many people in their 60s, 70s, and beyond live active, pain-free lives with the right approach to movement and care. What Physical Therapy Really Does for Back Pain At Movement Driven Performance Physiotherapy, treatment goes far beyond passive care. We use personalized movement, manual therapy, and education to help you understand your pain and take control of your recovery. You’ll learn how to move safely, build strength where it matters most, and restore confidence in your body — so pain doesn’t keep calling the shots. Take the Next Step Don’t let back pain limit your life. Schedule a one-on-one assessment today to discover how physical therapy for back pain can help you move better, feel stronger, and live pain-free. Book Your Discovery Call TODAY!
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Aging is inevitable—but losing your independence doesn’t have to be. The way you move, strengthen, and care for your body now will shape how active and capable you feel in your 40s, 70s, and beyond.
Have you ever been told you’ll “just have to live with it” when it comes to pain? At Movement Driven, we hear this all the time—and we’re here to tell you it’s not true. In the very first episode of The Movement Driven Podcast, Dr. Greg Goldberger, PT, DPT, breaks down why chronic pain is more complex than most people realize, why the traditional rehab model often fails, and what it really takes to find lasting relief. From debunking myths about back pain to sharing patient stories that will give you hope, this conversation is all about showing you that pain is not a life sentence. If you’ve tried everything and feel stuck, this episode is for you. 👉 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube to hear the full conversation.