A low bone-density result can be unsettling, especially when the advice is simply to exercise more. We can help you turn that advice into a plan: review your starting point, learn strength exercises and build balance and confidence. Bring your report if you have it and the questions you want answered.
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.
A low bone-density result can be a starting point
If your DEXA result has left you unsure how to exercise, you are not alone. We can help you understand your starting point and build confidence with movement.
Moving forward after being told to be careful
In this short video, Dr. Emily addresses being told to be careful with osteoporosis. We help turn that uncertainty into a starting plan: learn the movement, choose an appropriate load and build from there.
Why we keep our bone-strengthening classes small
An exercise plan feels more useful when you know how to put it into practice. In this video, Dr. Emily explains how we bring individual coaching into our small bone-strengthening classes: watching your form, adjusting exercises and helping you work through questions or aches. We want you to feel supported as you build strength and confidence.
You do not have to learn strength training on your own
Valerie Sabin describes working with Dr. Emily on individual weight training for osteoporosis. Her Google review highlights a reason people seek guidance: learning how to make strength work part of caring for their bones.
Step 1: Understand which numbers matter
Ask your medical clinician which measurements are valid, how your fracture history affects the interpretation and whether any further testing or treatment is needed. The report often includes hip and spine measurements. A single score does not determine your exercise starting weight.
For a deeper walkthrough, read DEXA scan results explained.
Step 2: Start strength training that is specific enough to matter
Keep activities you enjoy, then consider what your routine is missing. Progressive resistance training, suitable weight-bearing activity and balance practice each offer something useful. In an assessment, we can choose a small set of movements, teach the setup and agree on how to progress.
Step 3: Decide whether class or one-on-one PT is the better first step
Bone Builder class may be appropriate if you are medically stable and want supervised strength training. One-on-one PT may be a better starting point if you have recent fracture, significant pain, poor balance, fear of lifting, or a complex spine history.
Step 4: Build a repeatable weekly routine
Bone responds slowly. The goal is not a few hard workouts; it is months of consistent, progressive training. Bone Builder meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, noon–1 p.m., which offers a regular rhythm for practicing skills and building consistency.
What happens when you bring your scan to us?
Bring the report, your current exercise routine, prior fractures and any movement restrictions you have been given. We consider those alongside your strength, balance, symptoms and goals. Then we help you learn a starting routine and decide whether individual PT or a supervised class fits.
A useful question to bring is, “What should I change about my exercise now?” We want you to leave understanding the movements, the reason for the chosen challenge and what progression will look like.
You do not have to wait for another scan to make progress
We can follow improvements in movement skill, strength, steadiness and confidence while you build a consistent routine. Your medical clinician interprets your fracture risk and guides scan follow-up. A meaningful plan supports both the activities you want to keep doing and the longer-term goal of caring for your bones.
What progress looked like in the LIFTMOR research
There is a measurable reason to train for bone health. In LIFTMOR, postmenopausal women with low bone mass completed eight months of supervised resistance and impact training. Average lumbar-spine bone density rose 2.9%, compared with a 1.2% decline with low-intensity home exercise. Strength and physical-function measures also improved. Read the trial.
These are study averages; your progress is assessed individually. We use the research to guide purposeful, progressive training with coaching. See the full results, including how many participants maintained or increased spine bone density.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can osteopenia improve?
It can improve for some people, and it can often be managed more effectively with the right loading program, nutrition support, medical guidance, and fall-risk reduction.
Should I wait until osteoporosis to take action?
No. Osteopenia is the time to act because there is still a strong opportunity to build strength and reduce future risk.
Do I need medication for osteopenia?
That depends on your fracture risk, medical history, and physician recommendations. Exercise does not replace medical care, but it is one of the most important modifiable tools you control.
Written by Dr. Emily Warren, DPT, Cert. MDT and BoneFit-trained clinician at Mindful Movement PT in Holladay and Salt Lake City.
For background: ISCD guidance on bone-density interpretation and BHOF exercise guidance.