Allam was diagnosed with osteopenia and osteoporosis, two conditions that affect bone mass and density. While researching alternatives to bone density medications, she found Osteostrong, a skeletal strengthening program.
She was the first person in line at the Frisco Osteostrong location when it opened in 2019, she said. After two years of membership at the Frisco location, she was inspired to open her own location just five minutes from her home.
“One thing led to another, and I thought, you know, ‘Osteostrong is working well for me, and I'm tired driving to Frisco; I think I'll just open one in McKinney,’” Allam said.
The business franchise provides osteogenic loading, a process that uses a four-machine robotic musculoskeletal development system to target the skeletal system. The “loading machines” work by putting impact on the bones and triggering an adaptive response, Allam said. By continuing the loading sessions over time, bones can regain density lost due to age, she said.
“They look like gym machines, but they don't operate like them,” Allam said. “They allow you to put many, many multiples of your body weight on your skeletal structure, so what you're strengthening is your foundation.”
The science behind the loading regimen is based on Wolff’s Law, which states “bones and muscles adapt and respond to heavy loading or high-impact force,” according to Osteostrong’s website.
The service is helpful for people who have lost bone density due to age as well as athletes looking to strengthen their skeletal system, Allam said. Many clients experience conditions such as osteoporosis, osteopenia or kyphosis and use Osteostrong’s program to regain foundational strength, she said.
The business is membership-based and clients are able to do a loading session once per week, Allam said. The 10-minute sessions begin by standing on a vibration platform, followed by a session coach walking a client through the four loading machines. The machines target four different parts of the skeletal system, including the upper body, the lower body, core and posture.
“[The machines] target different areas of the skeleton, and your muscles do get targeted as well but more you gain muscle density,” Allam said. “It's not like a gym where you go get muscle definition.”
Clients can finish a session by using add-on services, such as pulsed electromagnetic field mats to aid in pain relief, red-light therapy to reduce inflammation or a hydromassage chair, Allam said.
“It probably might take you a year or two to have it start translating on a [bone density] scan. ... It takes longer for bone to respond in the first place [compared to muscle],” Allam said.
An Osteostrong membership also includes access to the Biocharger, an energy-balancing device that uses four energy sources, including light and voltage, to target various health concerns, Allam said.
“It's the easiest, most effective thing you can do to age to help yourself age gracefully and maintain your strength as you age,” Allam said.
Filling your bucket
Osteostrong refers to things that improve your skeletal system as “bucket fillers” and things that can decrease bone density as “holes in the bucket”. Here are some things that have an effect on your bones.
Bucket fillers:
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin K2
- Protein
- Trace minerals including magnesium and phosphorus
- Soda
- Alcohol
- Smoking
- Some medical conditions and diseases
- Some medications such as anticoagulants
5531 Virginia Parkway, Ste. 300, McKinney
469-625-2900
www.centers.osteostrong.me/stonebridge
Hours: Mon. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Tue. noon-6 p.m., Wed. 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., Thu. noon-7 p.m., Fri.-Sun. closed
