Program to help prevent osteoporosis in women

NEW MILFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- The risk of osteoporosis which causes bone to weaken increases as we age but picking up weights can go a long way to fight it off.

Fluid moves and picking up barbells are essential for these seniors. If nothing else, it helps make them stronger.

The Strong Women, Strong Bones program, a national fitness program for women is aimed at increasing bone density to help prevent or reverse osteoporosis.

"I built a lot of strength," said Marcia Cairns.

Lisa Marie Lee is the instructor.

"The weights are designed specifically to target the joints that are most at risk, the wrists, the ankles, the hips," said Lee.

For the hips, side lifts are recommended.

"That is to strengthen the muscles around the joints and increase bone density at the joint," said Lee. "And then the stretching is the flexibility so that if yhou do fall, then you'll be able to fall gracefully and not fracture something."          

Cairns has osteoporisis and has taken the class for nearly three years.

"The exercises help me to get stronger and to be able to move and kept me alert for things I have to watch for, balance, not falling," said Cairns.

Marion Whynott, who has osteopina, a precursor to osteoporosis recently underwent knee surgery.

"You have the thinning of the bones," said Whynott. "When I was in the hospital, I was able to pull myself up, you know on the swing, I could do that very easily. Everybody was surprised and when I went to rehab I probably was ahead of everybody else."

This is all part of a community outreach extended by New Milford Hospital.

"Besides taking care of our patients, we're also all about preventative care, disease prevention and Strong Women, Strong Bones is a perfect example of that," said Susan Twombly, New Milford Hospital.

For more information on the Strong Women, Strong Bones Program, click here.