Waterloo kinesiology student Caray Ford is making people stronger. She developed an osteoporosis exercise program, Strong Bones, to help people with low bone mass strengthen their thoracic posture. Caray pitched the Strong Bones program to her co-op supervisor at Fit Bodies Fit Minds, a studio in Sault St. Marie that focuses on corrective exercise.
Kyla Faganely, owner of the studio, was thrilled with Caray’s proposal and launched the program immediately. “I love when co-op students come in with these amazing ideas and can implement the things they’re learning in class,” she says.
Strong Bones classes include exercises that involve the use of rollers and exercise bands to encourage gentle resistance. By learning to stabilize the spine and strengthen the muscles surrounding it, participants decrease their risk of falling. The exercises also decrease the likelihood of major spinal damage in the event of a fall because the thoracic muscles protect the spine more effectively when they’re strengthened.
Caray was hired after graduation to continue developing the Strong Bones program, and she hopes to expand it. Kyla is excited to hire more Waterloo co-op students in the future. “Working with these students has definitely inspired my own learning and development,” she says.
