There is a lot you can do for your bones. We help you turn strength training, balance practice and everyday movement into a workable routine. If you are hoping to rely less on medication, bring that question to your prescribing clinician; we can help you build the exercise side of a coordinated plan.
One-on-one PT with Dr. Emily Warren, DPT, Cert. MDT. No referral needed. In-person care in Holladay, serving Greater Salt Lake City, and virtual coaching from anywhere.
If you are searching for osteoporosis treatment without medication, start with two questions: what can you improve through exercise and daily habits, and what does your individual fracture risk mean for medical treatment? This guide explains the exercise side and how to get started with support.
Looking for help in the Salt Lake City area? Explore individual bone-health physical therapy or supervised Bone Builder classes in Holladay. Dr. Emily Warren, DPT, Cert. MDT, is BoneFit trained.
Can exercise replace osteoporosis medication?
Exercise is a valuable part of care, but it does not reliably replace medication when your fracture risk calls for it. Review that decision with your prescribing clinician; do not stop a prescribed medicine or delay recommended treatment because an exercise program promises to reverse osteoporosis. NIAMS explains the treatment options.
You can build strength and movement skills whether or not medication is part of your plan. Ask, “What can exercise add for me, and how will we monitor both my fracture risk and my ability to do the things I enjoy?”
What can an exercise plan work on?
A useful program connects bone-health goals to the things you want to do. Resistance training, weight-bearing activity and balance practice serve different purposes; NIAMS describes how these approaches support bone health and function.
- Build strength: practice lifting, pushing, pulling and getting up from a chair with a challenge matched to your starting ability.
- Practice balance: work on steadiness and control so everyday movement feels more manageable.
- Progress toward meaningful activity: connect training to stairs, carrying groceries, gardening or the trails you want to enjoy.
At Mindful Movement, bring the activity you are avoiding and what worries you about it. Your bone-health history, symptoms and movement assessment help Dr. Emily choose where to begin and how to increase the challenge.
Does walking count?
Walking can be a useful activity, but it does not cover every strength or balance goal. Ask what is missing from your current routine rather than assuming you must abandon an activity you enjoy. See our discussion of walking and osteoporosis exercise.
What about heavy lifting and LIFTMOR?
There is encouraging evidence for supervised strength training. The LIFTMOR randomized trial studied 101 postmenopausal women with low bone mass over eight months. Average lumbar-spine bone density increased 2.9% in the supervised resistance-and-impact group, compared with a 1.2% decrease in the low-intensity home-exercise group. The supervised group also improved strength and functional performance. These are study averages in screened participants, not measured Mindful Movement client outcomes or a promised scan result. Read the original LIFTMOR trial.
The practical lesson is to train with a purpose and progress with guidance. Bone Builder draws on LIFTMOR-style loading principles and BoneFit-informed guidance. Learning technique and building tolerance come before a heavier challenge. Your program is adapted to your history and current ability rather than copied directly from a research protocol.
Read the LIFTMOR research guide for more detail, or our guide to starting heavier training with osteoporosis.
How do you turn bone-health advice into a training plan?
- Bring your starting information. A DEXA report, fracture history, current symptoms and any exercise restrictions help guide the assessment. Bring the questions you have about lifting or returning to activity.
- Choose a useful goal. Pick an everyday task or activity you want to feel more capable doing. Establish a starting measure you can revisit.
- Learn the movement. Practice the relevant lifting or balance skill with feedback and a manageable starting challenge.
- Build consistently. Review technique, symptoms and effort before progressing. A repeatable routine gives you something to build on between appointments.
How do nutrition and supplements fit?
Discuss dietary intake and any need for calcium or vitamin D supplementation with your clinician. The right plan depends on what you already consume and your health history; more is not automatically better. Bring a list of supplements to appointments so your care team can review them alongside medications. NIAMS nutrition and treatment guidance.
Questions to ask if you are hesitant about medication
- What factors put me at risk of a fracture?
- What benefit do you expect from this medicine, and over what period?
- Which side effects are common, and which are uncommon but important?
- Are there alternatives if I cannot tolerate this option?
- How will we monitor the plan, and what happens if treatment is stopped?
- What exercise restrictions, if any, should my physical therapist know?
You can ask for time to understand the recommendation or another medical opinion. The goal is an informed decision, not a promise that one plan fits everyone.
Individual PT or a supervised class?
Individual PT offers a place to work through your specific starting point. It may be useful when pain, a fracture history, balance difficulties or uncertainty about exercise makes group training feel like too big a first step. Bring your DEXA report and explain what you want to do more comfortably.
Bone Builder offers supervised group strength practice. Classes meet Tuesdays and Thursdays, noon–1 p.m., in Holladay. Ask about availability and whether class fits your current needs.
Compare one-on-one osteoporosis physical therapy with Bone Builder classes, or request a free 15-minute consultation to discuss where to start. Virtual coaching appointments are also available for general movement education, wellness goals and accountability; the clinic confirms the appropriate service before booking.
What should you measure besides bone density?
A repeat DEXA scan provides one kind of information. Between scans, track practical changes with your therapist:
- The resistance you can use with good control.
- How easily you get up from a chair or manage stairs.
- Your steadiness during a task that matters to you.
- Your confidence carrying, lifting or returning to an activity.
Ask which measures fit your goals and when to review them. Your medical clinician guides repeat DEXA timing. If you develop new back pain with osteoporosis, seek assessment before progressing your workout; our exercise and compression-fracture guide explains what to discuss.
You do not need to arrive knowing how to lift. Bring your goals and the questions that have kept you from starting. Request a Free 15-Minute Consultation or call/text (385) 332-4939 to discuss individual care, Bone Builder or virtual coaching.
Videos from Mindful Movement PT
These demonstrations provide context for a conversation with your therapist. They are not an individualized exercise prescription.
See what supported strength training looks like
Research gives us useful principles; coaching helps you put them into practice. Dr. Emily explains how we keep our bone-strengthening classes small, watch your form and adapt exercises as you progress. We use research-informed strength training while helping you find a challenge you can manage and a routine you can keep returning to.
About the clinician: Dr. Emily Warren, DPT, Cert. MDT, is the owner of Mindful Movement PT. She is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, holds the McKenzie credential in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy, and is BoneFit trained.
Updated September 30, 2026. General education; an individual assessment is needed to guide your care.