In the era of wearables, strength training and treating midlife as a reset point, a new angle is emerging — and for once, it’s not peptides or Pilates.
It’s bone health, and it comes with a new FDA-cleared wearable called Osteoboost.
The startup behind the prescription device, Osteoboost Health, has closed an $8 million financing round to scale manufacturing and expand clinical research.
Ambit Health Ventures led the round, with new investors Emmeline Ventures and Disrupt Health Impact Fund also participating.
More than 2,500 physicians have already prescribed the device, which addresses a common issue among peri- and post-menopausal women who have osteopenia. The condition is characterized by low bone mineral density that weakens bones and increases fracture risk. It’s also widely considered a risk factor and precursor to developing osteoporosis.
“For years, when a patient with osteopenia asked what they could do beyond calcium, vitamin D and exercise, we didn’t have much to offer,” said David B. Karpf, an endocrinologist and attending physician in the Osteoporosis & Metabolic Bone Disease Clinic at Stanford University School of Medicine. “Many of the women I treat are younger peri- and post-menopausal women who have osteopenia, and want to do everything they can to prevent developing osteoporosis. The availability of the FDA-cleared Osteoboost device provides a clinically supported, non-drug option that allows us to intervene earlier.”
Worn low on the hips and over the sacrum, Osteoboost delivers targeted vibration therapy to the lumbar spine and hips. The results are compelling: a clinical trial at the University of Nebraska Medical Center found the device slowed bone density loss by 85% in the spine and 55% in the hips among patients who used it three or more times per week during 30-minute sessions over 12 months.
Osteoboost Health also offers Wellen, a video-based training platform designed by physical therapists for patients with osteoporosis. In a study of 680 participants, Wellen users showed improved lower-body strength by 22.8% after one 18-session series. Nearly 80% of those who began at elevated fall risk improved to average or above-average levels, the company said.
The Business of Bone Health
Another wearable is also making a difference in the space: YVO, a female-founded brand behind a premium weighted vest designed for the female frame. Its founder and CEO, Marie Berry, was diagnosed with osteopenia herself.
Every purchase of YVO’s HSA/FSA-eligible Warrior Vest includes a DEXA bone density scan.
Beyond devices and wearables, the bone health movement is becoming an opportunity for operators.
OsteoStrong, a skeletal strength conditioning franchise, has grown to more than 200 centers across 14 countries. The franchise offers a nonpharmaceutical approach focused on improving bone density, posture and balance with once-a-week sessions powered by osteogenic loading technology.
