It’sOsteoporosis Month, Members!

Here is March’s Promote your Own Practice (POP) Printouts Package forOsteoporosis (this is the companion to the POP Guide you also received). We launched the POP monthly promotional program to give you the tools to promote your own practice and share how you keep British Columbians moving for life with your patients, your community and referring physicians/healthcare colleagues.

This package contains the March 2013 items for Osteoporosis, which you can customize and print out:

1.Physio-4 Tips Sheet

2.Media Release

3.Monthly Tips Poster

1.Physio-4 Tips Sheet – How to Use the Tips

  • Customizethe tips sheetwith your practice contact details & logo.
  • Send the tips sheet to your network of patients and physicians, and other healthcare colleagues.
  • Include the tips in your clinic or facility newsletters, blogs, and discuss them in your staff meetings and anywhere you want to raise awareness of the value of your role as a physiotherapist.
  • Provide tips to clients to use in their own corporate or business newsletters/correspondence.
  1. Media Release – How to Personalize
  2. Personalize it: We created this customizable release to help you differentiate your practice from other providers and from other physio clinics. Add your information in the spaces provided in the media release template in this package: add your logo and a story about your patient or practice success in this month’s theme. Remember about patient confidentiality; ensure you have their permission if you are citing specifics or names.
  3. Send your personalized media release to your local regional media.
  4. Encourage local media to run a monthly column on Physio-4 tips (there is a new monthly guide and printouts package available at the beginning of each month).
  5. Tweet and Facebook the release to your followers – suggested post: “Check out this month’s Physio-4 media release for Osteoporosisat ”
  1. Monthly Tips Poster - Where to Display it
  2. Display the colorful poster throughout your workplace: waiting room, restrooms, treatment room, gym...
  3. The poster features an image of the activity of the month as well as the Physio-4 tips.

4 Tips to Minimize Fracture Risks for Patients Suffering From Osteoporosis

March: Osteoporosis is a disease marked by reduced bone strength leading to an increased risk of fractured or broken bones. Osteoporosis is the major underlying cause of fractures in postmenopausal women and in the elderly. Often, a fracture of the hip, spine, or wrist is the first sign of osteoporosis. In addition to therapeutic exercise, a well-balanced and nutritious diet that includes calcium and vitamin D is good for your bone health and strength.

If you have been diagnosed or are at risk for osteoporosis working with your physiotherapist to develop an individualized weight-bearing exercise program is a good first step. And by following the Physio-4 for Osteoporosis, patients can minimize their risk for fractures and keep moving for life.

In photo: Agustin Navarro, Navarro Physiotherapy Clinic and Karly Sutherland, Physiotherapy Student at UBC

  1. Know your fracture risk. Women and men over age 50 should be assessed for risk factors for osteoporosis and fracture to identify if they are at high risk.Osteoporosis occurs most commonly in postmenopausal women, however prevention of this condition should begin in one’s 20’s. Men and women should perform resistance type exercises throughout their lifetime to help reduce the decline in bone density. Your physiotherapist will establish a strengthening program with resistance exercises to suit your risk factor and help you to build stronger bones.
  1. Undertake weight-bearing exercise. If you are diagnosed with low bone density or with osteoporosis, adopting a weight bearing and strength training exercise program will improve your bone health. It has been shown that weight-bearing exercise also improves muscle strength and balance and helps improve physical function and reduce pain.
  1. Improve balance. You can prevent falls and fractures byfollowing a therapeutic exercise program designed to improve balance and coordination. This will also help to build bone density. Your physiotherapist can create an individualized exercise program for you.
  1. Avoid repetitive bending and twisting. Lifting or carrying loads that are disproportionate can be dangerous for those with low bone density. Your physiotherapist can provide guidance on specific movements to avoid or how to move safely.

Physiotherapists are the rehabilitation specialists recommended most by physicians. They are university-educated health professionals who work with patients of all ages to diagnose and treat virtually any mobility issue. Physiotherapists provide care for orthopedic issues such as sport and workplace injuries, as well as cardiorespiratory and neurological conditions. As Canada's most physically active health professionals, BC's physiotherapists know how to keep British Columbians moving for life.

[Insert name of your practice, clinic or facility with contact details, logo – here]

British Columbians 50+ should be assessed for osteoporosis to identify if they are at risk.

BC physiotherapists share 4 tips to treat osteoporosis and keep British Columbians moving for life.

Vancouver, BC March 4, 2013 | Men and women over the age of fifty are at risk for osteoporosis, a disease marked by reduced bone strength leading to an increased risk of fractured or broken bones. Osteoporosis is the major underlying cause of fractures in postmenopausal women and in the elderly. Often, a fracture of the hip, spine, or wrist is the first sign. BC’s physiotherapists want to share their Physio-4 for osteoporosis, 4 tips on how to treat osteoporosis, to keep British Columbians moving for life.

“Therapeutic exercise, a well-balanced and nutritious diet that includes calcium and vitamin D can improve your bone health and strength,” says [insert clinic owner name here]. “If you have been diagnosed or are at risk for osteoporosis working with your physiotherapist to develop an individualized weight-bearing exercise program is a good first step.”

  1. Know your fracture risk. Women and men over age 50 should be assessed for risk factors for osteoporosis and fracture to identify if they are at high risk.Osteoporosis occurs most commonly in postmenopausal women, however prevention of this condition should begin in one’s 20’s. Men and women should perform resistance type exercises throughout their lifetime to help reduce the decline in bone density. Your physiotherapist will establish a strengthening program with resistance exercises to suit your risk factor and help you to build stronger bones.
  1. Undertake weight-bearing exercise. If you are diagnosed with low bone density or with osteoporosis, adopting a weight bearing and strength training exercise program will improve your bone health. It has been shown that weight-bearing exercise also improves muscle strength and balance and helps improve physical function and reduce pain.
  1. Improve balance. You can prevent falls and fractures byfollowing a therapeutic exercise program designed to improve balance and coordination. This will also help to build bone density. Your physiotherapist can create an individualized exercise program for you.
  1. Avoid repetitive bending and twisting. Lifting or carrying loads that are disproportionate can be dangerous for those with low bone density. Your physiotherapist can provide guidance on specific movements to avoid or how to move safely.

We recently treated a patient who had osteoporosis …. Customize with a story of how you helped a patient.

The Physiotherapy Association of BC created the Physio-4 to share the expertise of its members with fellow British Columbians. Each month, on movingforlife.ca 4 tips are provided to treat specific health or physical conditions that will help keep British Columbians moving for life. BC’s physiotherapists want British Columbians to know that if they are injured or in pain, a physiotherapist can help. After all, they are the healthcare professionals physicians recommend most.

To learn more about how physiotherapists keep British Columbians moving for life, visit movingforlife.ca.

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Physiotherapists are the rehabilitation specialists recommended most by physicians. They are university-educated health professionals who work with patients of all ages to diagnose and treat virtually any mobility issue. Physiotherapists provide care for orthopedic issues such as sport and workplace injuries, as well as cardiorespiratory and neurological conditions. As Canada's most physically active health professionals, BC's physiotherapists know how to keep British Columbians moving for life.

For more information please contact:

Add clinic contact information here.