Spreading Good Vibrations & Education to Help Improve Musculoskeletal Health
As a Registered Massage Therapist with a background in Kinesiology, understanding, manipulating and educating about the importance of the musculoskeletal system has been my focus and passion for the past 32 years.
I have completed my designation as a Certified Professional Consultant in Aging (CPCA) and believe that we deserve to live well at every age and stage of life.
We often take our musculoskeletal system for granted when everything is well and working the way it should be. However, the musculoskeletal system is an essential component of human health. In addition to providing the body with structure and the means for movement, the musculoskeletal system acts as endocrine system, stimulated by exercise, interacting through biochemical signalling with other organs in the body. It protects inner organs, produces red blood cells, and provides a reservoir of essential minerals.
The musculoskeletal system is made up of bones, muscles and joints , along with cartilage, tendons, ligaments and fascia (connective tissue). It gives your body shape and is also the anchor for all of the tissue that connects to it.
Did you know that peak bone mass happens around the age of 30 and begins to decline as we age? However we don't qualify for a OHIP covered DEXA Bone Scan until the age of 65, unless we are high risk. The problem is we often don't realize we have a problem until we sustain a fracture.
We do know however that the speed and severity of the decline of both bone mineral density and bone quality (strength) is impacted by so many factors such as:
- nutrition and vitamin/mineral intake
- amount of exercise
- stress and poor sleep
- giving birth and menopause
- lifestyle habits such as smoking, alcohol intake, and carbonated drinks
- underlying conditions such as cancer, diabetes, thyroid/parathyroid conditions & gut malabsorption issues
- medications - corticosteroids, PPIs, SSRIs and cancer drugs
The other problem with this reactionary approach to care is that we are wasting 30 critical years that we could be using effectively to support our muscle and bone health. If we shifted our thinking when it comes to bone health from a reactionary to a more proactive one and we screened for bone health earlier, we have the opportunity to educate people on what they can do to improve or slow down bone loss and improve bone quality.
In fact, it is long overdue to change the narrative about bone health from one that is focused on a disease of the elderly to one that looks at it from a generational and preventative lens.
It is important for adolescents to understand that 90% of peak bone mass is acquired by age 18 for girls and by age 20 for boys. If this is better understood and the conversation is focused on making healthy choices to “invest” in bone health early, we could prevent the often catastrophic results that osteoporosis can have on the quality and quantity of a person's life as well as the strain that it places on our healthcare system.
Megan Buhrmester, Medical Sonographer and Founder of Osteosound and I are on a mission to change the narrative of musculoskeletal health and to help educate and improve the health esteem of people so they feel more confident and empowered to advocate for and make more informed decisions about their health alongside their healthcare team.
As the visionary behind the first ever Preventative Health Awareness Month/Movement recognized by Health Canada , I am on a mission to stock the preventative health toolbox of Canadians so feel more equipped to live well at every age and stage of life.
Over the past year, Megan and I have brought our our skills and passions together to ensure that we can provide a comprehensive and compassionate service to the people we have the privilege of scanning. From the day of our first scan, one thing quickly became abundantly clear. Whether you have good healthy bones or you are osteoporosis , everyone wants to understand what they can do to either improve their bone health or prevent it from worsening. The answer to these questions lie in the education that we share.
We are determined to not only be the leaders in bone health analysis in Canada using the Health Canada approved REMS Bone Scan technology but we are also committed to finding fun, informative and impactful ways to share education and create opportunities to have new, innovative conversations about how we can support people with their musculoskeletal health in our communities, clinics and corporations across the country.
That is why we have created the Good Vibrations Tour - An educational and experiential campaign designed to promote bone health and share falls & fracture prevention strategies for seniors across the country.
Did you know that falls remain the leading cause of injury related hospitalizations among Canadian seniors? It is estimated that between 20-30% of seniors fall each year.
Are you ready to bring some GOOD VIBES to your community, senior's residence, business or event?
We are ready to keep movin and groovin to keep our seniors healthy!
Contact us to book your Good Vibrations Tour - Call 647-577-4757
