At Osteostrong’s gym, a monthly card costs SEK 999. Despite the cost, more and more people are buying the company’s treatment and their operations are now located in several cities in the country. The treatment in their machines consists of statically loading the skeleton corresponding to several times one’s body weight. – This stimulates bone growth, says Jonas Forsberg Solvander, development and operations manager Osteostrong. Almost 200 women were included in the study. In the study, 97 women received this treatment once a week, while 97 others instead exercised in a group twice a week. The researchers then tested the skeleton of all the women by poking a needle on the shin bone. and it turned out that those who trained with Osteostrong had a slightly better bone quality. The researchers also X-rayed the vertebrae in the spine and there those who had physical training had a slightly better result on bone density. – Based on our study results, we cannot say that one training method is better than the other. But on the other hand, we saw improvements in both groups, says Peter Lindberg, physiotherapist and researcher at the Karolinska Institutet. More benefits of exercise The question then is why should you choose a method that costs around 12,000, when you get an equivalent result much cheaper? – We have the older population, which is often a bone choir. And in many cases they are advised against jumping, lifting heavy, running, rolling and more. And this is a method that has removed impact, but still ensures that we can have an effect on bone density, says Jonas Forsberg Solvander. The researchers emphasize that for those who have the opportunity, physical training also provides better fitness and has other benefits. – There is a lot of evidence that physical activity has so many other positive effects. Not just for the skeleton, it’s for the whole body that you feel good. And you feel good because you usually train in a group, says Helena Salminen, researcher in general medicine Karolinska Institutet. Even the women who exercised physically in a group during the study agree: – I get so happy to exercise. The social aspect is also very important when you get older. And then I feel physically strong, get better balance and life simply plays, says Renée Posse.
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