The Bone Lab at Conveniently Active is grounded in world leading clinical research showing that high intensity resistance and impact training is the most effective form of exercise for improving bone density, strength and fracture resilience in people with low bone mass.
Our program is based on the same body of evidence used internationally for best practice osteoporosis and osteopenia exercise prescription. This includes the landmark LIFTMOR and MEDEX OP trials conducted by Professor Belinda Beck and her research team at Griffith University.
These trials fundamentally changed how bone health is treated through exercise and proved that appropriately supervised, high intensity training is not only effective but safe for people with low bone mass.
Evidence in Postmenopausal Women
The LIFTMOR (Lifting Intervention for Training Muscle and Osteoporosis Rehabilitation) trial compared high intensity resistance and impact training with low intensity exercise in postmenopausal women with osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Key outcomes showed:
- Significant increases in bone mineral density at the spine and hip
- Improvements in physical function and posture
- No increase in vertebral fractures
- Improved thoracic kyphosis and posture
- High adherence and safety under expert supervision
This research demonstrated that heavy resistance training is safe and produces superior bone outcomes compared with low intensity exercise in postmenopausal women with low bone mass.Evidence in Men Over 50
The LIFTMOR M trials extended this research to men over 50 with osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Findings included:
- Superior improvements in bone geometry and strength compared to machine based isometric training
- Reduction in factors associated with fracture risk
- Improvements in posture and spinal health
- Strong safety outcomes under supervised conditions
This confirmed that bone targeted high intensity training is just as important for men as it is for women.Evidence With or Without Bone Medication
The MEDEX OP trials examined high intensity exercise both with and without osteoporosis medication, compared with low intensity Pilates based programs.
Key findings showed that:
- High intensity resistance and impact training improved bone strength regardless of medication use
- Bone geometry and hip strength improved more than with low intensity programs
- Exercise provided additional fracture protection alongside medication
This confirmed that exercise is a critical part of bone health management, not just a complement to medication.Systematic Reviews and Meta Analysis
Multiple systematic reviews and meta analyses based on this research have confirmed:
- Exercise intensity is the key driver of bone adaptation
- Low intensity or general exercise is not enough to significantly improve bone density
- High intensity, progressive, well supervised resistance and impact training is required for meaningful bone change
What This Means for The Bone Lab
The Bone Lab applies this evidence through:
- Individualised bone health assessment
- Progressive high intensity resistance training
- Safe, targeted impact loading where appropriate
- Postural and spinal strengthening
- Balance and fall prevention
- Ongoing clinical supervision by Accredited Exercise Physiologists
Every program is tailored, monitored, and progressed exactly in line with the research. This is not general fitness. This is clinical bone rehabilitation delivered by university qualified allied health professionals.Why Supervision Matters
The trials were successful because:
- All training was supervised by qualified clinicians
- Technique, load and progression were carefully controlled
- Participants were screened and assessed prior to loading
- Individual risk factors were managed throughout the program
The Bone Lab follows these same safety principles.Best Practice at The Bone Lab
The Bone Lab at Conveniently Active is built on:
- The same high quality clinical trial evidence used internationally for best practice bone rehabilitation
- Proven improvements in bone density, posture and fracture risk
- A strong safety profile under expert supervision
- A focus on long term independence, confidence and functional strength
This is evidence based bone health done properly.REFERENCES
Watson SL, Weeks BK, Weis L, Horan SA, and Beck BR: High-Intensity Resistance and Impact Training Improves Bone Mineral Density and Physical Function in Postmenopausal Women with Osteopenia and Osteoporosis: The LIFTMOR Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 33(2):211-220, 2018
Watson SL, Weeks BK, Weis L, Harding A, Horan SA, and Beck BR: High-intensity exercise did not cause vertebral fractures and improves thoracic kyphosis in postmenopausal women with low to very low bone mass: The LIFTMOR trial Osteoporosis International, 30(5):957–964, 2019
Watson SL, Weeks BK, Weis L, Horan SA, and Beck BR: Heavy resistance training is safe and improves bone, function and stature in postmenopausal women with low to very low bone mass: Novel early findings from the LIFTMOR trial. Osteoporosis Int. 26(12): 2889-2894, 2015
Beck BR, Watson SL, Weis L, Horan SA, and Weeks BK: Response to Giangregorio et al.: Intensity is a subjective construct. Osteoporosis Int 27:2393–2394, 2016
Harding AT, Weeks BK, Lambert C, Watson SL, Weis L, Beck BR: A comparison of bone-targeted exercise strategies to reduce fracture risk in middle-aged and older men with osteopenia and osteoporosis: LIFTMOR-M semi-randomized controlled trial. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. 35(8):1404–1414, 2020
Harding AT, Weeks BK, Lambert C, Watson SL, Weis L, Beck BR: Exploring thoracic kyphosis and incident fracture from vertebral morphology with high-intensity exercise in middle-aged and older men with osteopenia and osteoporosis: a secondary analysis of The LIFTMOR-M trial. Osteoporosis International 32, 451–465, 2021
Harding AT, Weeks BK, Lambert C, Watson SL, Weis L, Beck BR: Effects of supervised high-intensity resistance and impact training or machine-based isometric training on regional bone geometry and strength in middle-aged and older men with low bone mass: The LIFTMOR-M semi-randomized controlled trial. Bone 136:115362, 2020
Harding AT, Weeks BK, Watson SL, Beck BR: The LIFTMOR–M (Lifting Intervention For Training Muscle and Osteoporosis Rehabilitation for Men) trial: The protocol for a semi-randomised controlled trial of targeted exercise to reduce risk of osteoporotic fracture in older men with low bone mass. BMJ Open 7(6): e014951, 2017
Kistler-Fischbacher M, Yong J, Weeks BK, Beck BR: A comparison of bone-targeted exercise with and without antiresorptive bone medication to reduce indices of fracture risk in postmenopausal women with low bone mass: the MEDEX-OP randomised controlled trial. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research May 25, 2021.
Kistler-Fischbacher M, Yong J, Weeks BK, Beck BR: High-Intensity Exercise and Geometric Indices of Hip Bone Strength in Postmenopausal Women on or off Bone Medication: The MEDEX-OP Randomised Controlled Trial, Calcified Tissue International Online First 13/6/22
Kistler-Fischbacher M, Weeks BK, Beck BR: The effect of exercise intensity on bone in postmenopausal women (Part 1): a Systematic review, Bone. 2021 Feb
Kistler-Fischbacher M, Weeks BK, Beck BR: The effect of exercise intensity on bone in postmenopausal women (Part 2): a Meta-analysis, Bone. 2021 Feb;