Building Strength from Within

The Positive Pause

In this episode, Rebekah Rotstein, NCPT, joins us for a conversation about the unique health challenges women face at midlife particularly regarding bone health and osteoporosis, and ways in which women can maintain and build bone health and muscle strength.

Rebekah Rotstein, a leading expert in Pilates, bone health, and movement education, is the founder of Buff Bones®, a medically endorsed exercise method focused on bone and joint health. Buff Bones® offers on-demand programming, online coaching, and professional training at esteemed institutions like Johns Hopkins Rehabilitation Network. With trained instructors in over 30 countries and free public education webinars through UCLA Health, Rebekah is a global advocate for bone health. She also shares valuable tips, exercises, and information through social media.

Rebekah’s journey began as a ballet dancer, leading her to work in the Sports Medicine department at Smith College as a student athletic trainer in 1994. She later trained and certified in the Pilates method and has taken extensive course in other modalities. After being diagnosed with osteoporosis at the age of 28, she was motivated to advocate for others with low bone mass and to provide innovative education and programming.

Rebekah serves on the Ambassador Leadership Council for the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF) and has partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Women’s Health. She also contributes to the Bone Health Working Group for the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR), contributing toand the 2021 recommendations published in the Journal for Women’s Health.

In this episode, we learn more about the Buff Bones® program, as well as Pilates and strength training, exploring their role in bone health and menopause support, and how they benefit individuals with osteoporosis and low bone mass

We can lose 3-5% of our muscle mass each decade after age 30 if we aren’t active. We also loose bone mass in our early 30s and we reach our peak bone mass at age 30-35. And, once we hit menopause, we can lose 20-25% of our bone mass. So, it’s important to take some action now because the lack of action is destined to lead to decline of bone mass that could potentially lead to fractures down the road.

In this episode, Rebekah discusses:

• Tips for midlife women to maintain bone density and prevent osteoporosis
• Exercises we can do to improve our bone and muscle strength, balance and mobility
• Addressing joint pain and stiffness through fascia conditioning, movement, and strength training
• Benefits of somatic practices and improving interoception

Rebekah emphasizes that while Pilates is excellent for many elements of health, it should be complemented with other forms of exercise like strength training for bone health.. When looking to begin your health journey, start with activities that are enjoyable and seek professional guidance and accountability to make gains and stay consistent.

Connect with Rebekah Rotstein, NCPT:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebekah-rotstein
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebekah.rotstein
• Instagram: https://www.i