On this episode of Bone Talk, Heidi Skolnik talks with Penelope Wasserman, founder of Million Dollar Bones, a program that aims to educate teens about the importance of bone health, and president of Sea and Flour, a company that is the first to integrate seaweed into the commercial baking process. As a member of the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation’s Ambassadors Leadership Council, Penelope is a passionate advocate for bone health awareness and prevention.

Penelope has dedicated her career to helping people prevent and manage osteoporosis through movement and exercise. She shares with us her insights on why alignment is so important for preventing osteoporosis, how to progress once you have good alignment, and how dance, a weight-bearing exercise, can be great for bone health.

A few steps you can take for good bone health include focusing on weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises. Weight-bearing exercises can include activities such as walking, jogging or dancing. Muscle-strengthening exercises include activities where you move your body, a weight or some other resistance against gravity.

It is important to avoid any movements or exercises that put your body into a C curve position, as this can potentially cause a stress fracture. To avoid exercises that put the body into a C-curve position, people with osteoporosis should avoid any movement that loads the spine in a flexed position. This includes sit-ups and other movements that round the back. Instead, focus on exercises that maintain a neutral spine position and avoid any movement that puts undue stress on the spine.

Alignment is foundational for long-term bone health. Heidi and Penelope both advocate doing exercise that you find fun! Hopefully this includes exploring how to include dance into your movement routine!

• About Heidi Skolnik

• About Penelope Wasserman

• Million Dollar Bones

• Exercise and Safe Movement

• Osteo-a-Gogo Dance for Osteoporosis