The Claremont Club is about to introduce a machine that could change the way osteoporosis is treated.

The BioDensity machine, which will be made available to the public on September 24, is an apparatus focusing on applying pressure to the body to increase bone density and bone strength in patients who sorely need it. With treatments lasting up to a year, patients can see their bone strength improve by up to 30 percent, says Claremont Club CEO Mike Alpert.

In addition to osteoporosis, BioDensity can treat many different kinds of ailments for all age groups, including hip replacement surgery, pre and post surgery rehab and even dental work, where dentists need strong bones for a graft.

“We think there’s a great potential with women’s health, especially with pre- and post-menopausal women, and people that either have osteopenia or osteoporosis,” Mr. Alpert said. “And we also think there’s a tremendous opportunity with the geriatric market with older people that have weakened bones that are at risk of falls and fractures, which in many cases are terminal issues.”

BioDensity—which cost around $45,000—looks similar to an exercise machine found in a gym, and Mr. Alpert likens it to a recumbent bike. The machine features four exercises designed to maximize bone strength—leg press, arm curl, chest press and vertical lift.

The machine is built around the tenets of Wolff’s Law, Mr. Alpert said, which says that bone density grows and rebuilds itself when pressure is applied to it. In physical therapy, exercise is of paramount importance when overcoming a bone fracture or osteoporosis.

BioDensity works in tandem with the Power Plate, another healthcare machine that creates a “harmonious vibration” that is said to produce involuntary movements that can also help people create greater bone density and strength.

The machines were installed on Monday, August 29, and sit in their very own specialized room that used to house the junior fitness room overlooking the Club’s massive pool.

Mr. Alpert noted the entire process takes about 15 minutes a week—five minutes on the Power Plate and  five minutes on BioDensity, followed by an additional five minutes on the Power Plate.

Patients will be set up with a six- to 12-month program, depending on their needs. A laptop connected to the machine charts each user’s progress from the beginning of the trial to the end.

The entire program is pharmaceutical-free, focusing only on organically regenerating bone strength through work.

Before the machine opens to the public, a visiting physician who focuses on exercise for special needs groups, Dr. Jason Conviser, will be holding two seminars—one for the general public and another for medical professionals—to get the word out about the machines.

The public meeting will take place on September 20 and the meeting for medical professionals will take place on September 22, Mr. Alpert said.

When the machine debuts later this month, it would be open to just about anyone who needs it. “You don’t have to be a member of the Claremont Club to participate in it,” Mr. Alpert noted.

Although a price hasn’t been officially set yet, Mr. Alpert says it could hover around $99 per month. Mr. Alpert cites a desire to make the therapy affordable to people who need it most.

“The goal is to get a lot of people to participate in the program,” he said.

In talking about the benefits of BioDensity, Mr. Alpert offered a guarantee of positive results.

“We’re not sure what that guarantee is going to be at, whether it’s going to be a guarantee of at least a 30 percent improvement of bone strength and/or improvement in bone density,” he said. “But we’re going to guarantee it.”

Mr. Alpert had not decided on what the guarantee might consist of, whether it would be money back or an extension of the program at no cost. But it is clear he believes in the program and its potential to treat patients with bone density issues.

It all ties into the club’s philosophy of bridging the gap between the fitness and medical fields, he said, whether it is BioDensity or programs such as Project Walk, which aids patients in spinal cord injury recovery. 

“At the club, we believe very strongly in exercise as medicine,” Mr. Alpert said. “We think it’s the strongest medicine there is.”

—Matthew Bramlett

news@claremont-courier.com