The Bone Clinic

06/01/2026

Was wonderful to catch up with Margie Bissinger and talk about the exciting new data coming out of The Bone Clinic. Here is the interview on her Happy Bones, Happy Life Podcast.
Happy listening. :)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CTtiaEHRAGs&pp=0gcJCR4Bo7VqN5tD&fbclid=IwVERDUAPJgEBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR6nEXJuGE8YNQ68T3WxP60AtxAZ5MzvRkmdoGK56FKagrxaZu3m9xsqRSAgrA_aem_nlFbqlj-HhvHC1PlPArG-w

What if you could increase your bone density and reduce fractures with just a few weightlifting sessions a week? Tune in for the latest groundbreaking resear...

21/12/2025

While I applaud the FDA's recent acceptance of BMD (bone mineral density) as a surrogate marker for osteoporotic fracture (for the purposes of drug development), the irony (dare I say, hypocrisy) should not be lost on exercise researchers.

The reason for the FDA's move is that trials measuring fracture outcomes must include tens of thousands of people because fractures are relatively rare events, which means the studies are exceedingly expensive to run. Drug companies have always accepted the costs of the trials they fund because, if the drugs work, the financial returns are so great.

As there has never been an equivalent funding source for exercise trials, they typically have far fewer participants. This has meant that insufficient fractures occur during exercise trials (often none at all) for comparisons to be made between the exercise group and the control group. Instead exercise researchers report that exercise improves BMD and prevents falls, thereby preventing fractures. This approach has driven a doctors' narrative that 'there is no direct evidence that exercise prevents osteoporotic fracture', thus no justification to prescribe exercise for osteoporosis. Of course we know that (in the words of Carl Sagan) an absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. In fact, there is plenty of indirect evidence that exercise does indeed prevent fracture but most doctors nevertheless continue to undervalue exercise as therapy for osteoporosis.

Fast forward to the current day, when the costs of running huge clinical trials have sky-rocketed, and the drug companies are feeling the pinch (or at least, are not making as much money as they used to). What to do? Well a group of very smart academics and biostatisticians partnered with multiple drug companies and other stakeholders and showed statistically that improvement in BMD will lead to a reduction in fractures!
Culminating in the FDA agreeing to accept BMD as a surrogate for fracture in drug trials so they can run smaller (cheaper) trials to test their drugs. I'll let that sink in.

I wonder if doctors will ever again have the nerve to tell us there is insufficient evidence that exercise prevents fractures due to an absence of fracture data.

NORTH BETHESDA, Md., December 19, 2025--FDA has qualified the first surrogate endpoint for bone fractures in anti-osteoporosis drug trials for at-risk post-menopausal women.

06/12/2025

Christmas gifts this year were staff The Bone Clinic and ONERO jackets ... which we attempted to capture in a photo... with our usual level of success. I forgot to bring my jacket, and only some of us were looking at the right camera... but it was another fabulous Christmas party with my wonderful crew. Oh, and there was chocolate!

03/12/2025

Was very happy to contribute to this important publication (endorsed by the major exercise and sports medicine associations in Australia and the US) because it helps people to understand exactly what we mean when we describe ONERO as 'high intensity'. Not just any exercise increases bone mass. Check out ONERO.

Researchers and practitioners from Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) have come together to propose a standard way of describing exercise intensity, helping create clearer and more consistent communication across the physical activity, exercise, and sport sectors.

The framework outlines five intensity levels - very low, low, moderate, high, and very high - paired with simple effort descriptors from very easy to very hard.

By adopting this unified system, professionals can provide more accurate, accessible, and personalised advice - supporting safer and more effective participation in physical activity for all Australians.

This is the first time that experts from around the world have come together to provide a practical solution to this problem.

Read the statement: https://bit.ly/48unoxQ

23/11/2025

Osteoporosis medication. To take or not to take. That is the question [we get asked 10 times a day].
To help you decide, we are presenting our annual bone medications seminar with Endocrinologist Dr Matthew Accatino on Wednesday (26/11), 5-6pm at East Leagues Club (40 Main Avenue, Coorparoo).
It's not Shakespeare, but you get to ask Matthew questions. :D
Members (who attend classes at TBC): $20
Non-members (who do not attend classes at TBC): $50
Bookings are essential. Please see Reception or ​​​​​​​call us at The Bone Clinic on (07) 3391 5510 to book your spot.

This seminar will not be streamed or recorded

20/11/2025

The LIFTMOR and other trials showed us that even heavy lifting often doesn't markedly increase bone mineral density (BMD; the measure used to diagnose osteopenia or osteoporosis) at the 'hip' (the end of the femur near the pelvis). Those trials showed us the body is smarter than that. Instead of packing more mineral into your femur, heavy lifting actually stimulates the cortex (outside shell) of the femoral neck (the narrow part of the femur near the pelvis that often breaks in a 'hip fracture') to thicken which makes it more resistant to fracture. A recent publication tells us we can lose bone at the hip during menopause in a couple of ways - either by losing bone mineral or thinning the cortex. Lucky we have ONERO® to reverse that, hey?
https://doi.org/10.1093/jbmr/zjaf162
[Please don't demand I provide you with a full copy of this publication. I have no control over journal access. My goal is simply to bring these studies to your attention. The abstract is informative but if you want the whole paper, your local library may have access. Or you could become a member of the ASBMR.]

Abstract. Clinical use of areal bone mineral density (aBMD) to identify fracture risk assumes that aBMD reflects bone mineral content (BMC). Yet, aBMD is c

11/11/2025

Reporting our very cool ONERO data at the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society meeting in Cairns this week. Here's my acknowledgement slide thanking staff and clients for all their hard work. This work is definitely a team effort.

24/10/2025

Adding more expert voices to the criticism of the recent OsteoStrong publication, here is the position of Osteoporosis Canada. There is no conflict of interest among the experts undertaking this review of the evidence. They are not selling anything in competition with OsteoStrong. It's just the facts.

Contributors: Dr. Lora Giangregorio, Dr. Adrian Lau, Dr. Claudia Gagnon, Dr. Laëtitia Michou, Dr. Alan Low, Dr. Emma Billington, Dr. Zahra Bardai, Dr. Vithika Sivabalasundaram, Dr. Rowena Ridout, Dr. Sandra Kim.

20/10/2025

Looks like the Swedish Osteoporosis Society's official position on the use of OsteoStrong in osteoporosis agrees with all of the other scientists on this issue:
"In light of the lack of evidence and the potential risks, the Swedish Osteoporosis Society advises people with osteoporosis or with suspected osteoporosis against using the OsteoStrong method until scientific evidence is available that can determine the method's efficacy, safety and health economic value."

https://svos.se/nyhet/uppdaterad-29-8-2025-svenska-osteoporossallskapets-officiella-standpunkt-gallande-anvandning-av-osteostrong/

You can click on "English translation" to be able to read it if you don't speak Sweedish.

OsteoStrong marknadsförs som en validerad, säker och effektiv metod för att på naturlig väg stärka skelettet. På företagets hemsida hävdas att endast 60 sekunders träning per vecka kan leda till…

20/10/2025

Every World Osteoporosis Day we offer some high calcium snacks to our ONERO® clients after class. Bit of a scramble to organise this year so slightly slim pickings, but nevertheless Elizabeth, Ann, Teresa and Maree managed to enjoy some cheese and yoghurt with Skarlett Skeleton.

19/10/2025

It's World Osteoporosis Day!
While every day is Osteoporosis Day at The Bone Clinic, today you will likely hear especially loud messages today about the burden of this condition that shortens lives and can cause extraordinary suffering in the meantime.
Luckily you CAN do something about it - starting with ONERO®; safe and effective exercise for osteoporosis if supervised by a trained provider.
Here is an image of just one of our clients who has moved her bone density out of the osteoporotic range with ONERO®.
You just have to do it. Remember, supervised only. Find an ONERO® provider on the map. https://onero.academy/locations/

12/10/2025

Sometimes I come across bone health gold on the internet. Here is a nugget. A free cookbook including 10 high calcium recipes. And all look delicious! Thanks to the folks at Edith Cowen University.
chrome-extensio://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://nhiri.ecu.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Reformatted-NHIRI-Cookbook-Calcium-v2.pdf

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