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Conditions We Treat  /  Osteoporosis & Bone Health

Bone Health

Osteoporosis and Bone Health Physical Therapy in Bakersfield

If you've been told you have osteopenia or osteoporosis, the right exercise matters. Physical therapy teaches you how to get stronger safely, improve your balance, and move in ways that protect your spine.

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Yes, physical therapy is a safe, effective part of managing osteoporosis. Bone health organizations recommend strength training, weight-bearing exercise suited to your bones, and balance training, and exercise programs that include balance training reduce falls in older adults. A physical therapist tailors this to your bone density, fracture history and fitness, so you can exercise with confidence instead of fear.

Is this you?

✓You’ve been diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis
✓You’ve broken a wrist, hip or vertebra from a minor fall or strain
✓You’re worried about falling, or you’ve had a fall
✓You’ve lost height or your upper back is rounding forward
✓You’re not sure which exercises are safe for you
✓You take long-term steroids, or went through early menopause

Why exercise matters for bones

Bone responds to load. The right kind of strength and weight-bearing exercise helps maintain bone density, and the bigger payoff is stronger muscles, better balance and fewer falls, which is what prevents most fractures. At the same time, some movements, like repeated loaded forward bending and twisting of the spine, can raise the risk of a spinal fracture, so how you exercise matters.

Physical therapy works alongside the medication and care your doctor provides; it doesn’t replace it.

What treatment at ARI looks like

1
A one-on-one evaluation

Your first visit takes about 45 to 60 minutes. We review your bone density results, fractures and health history, and test your strength, posture and balance.

2
Safe, progressive strength

A strength and weight-bearing program pitched at the right level for your bones, progressed step by step, plus posture work for the upper back.

3
Balance and everyday movement

Balance training to lower your fall risk, how to bend, lift and garden in ways that protect your spine, and a home program you can keep up for the long term.

No referral needed to start. In California, you can see a physical therapist directly for up to 12 visits or 45 days, whichever comes first. Some insurance plans still require a referral for coverage; call us at (661) 282-8584 and we'll help you check.

When to see a doctor first

See a doctor promptly if you have:

  • Sudden, severe back pain after a minor lift, cough or fall, which can be a spinal fracture
  • A fall followed by hip or groin pain, or you can’t put weight on your leg
  • Noticeable loss of height, or a new curve in your upper back
  • Any fall where you hit your head

Why patients choose ARI

Care at ARI is always one-on-one and in person with a licensed physical therapist at our Bakersfield clinic: 8200 Stockdale Hwy, Suite B2, in the Town & Country Village center next to Trader Joe's. Our clinic director, Deepa Konnur, PT, MPT, OCS, is a board-certified Orthopedic Certified Specialist. We accept most private insurance plans and Medicare, and we have staff who speak Spanish and Hindi.

Osteoporosis FAQs

Yes, with the right exercises. Strength, weight-bearing and balance training are recommended for people with osteoporosis. A physical therapist makes sure the program suits your bones and fracture history.
Movements that load the spine in repeated forward bending and twisting, such as sit-ups and toe-touches, are often best avoided. Your therapist will give you safer alternatives.
Exercise can help maintain bone density, and in some people improve it a little. The biggest benefits are stronger muscles, better balance and fewer falls, which lower your fracture risk.
No. Physical therapy works alongside the treatment your doctor prescribes.
No. In California you can see a physical therapist directly for up to 12 visits or 45 days, whichever comes first. Some insurance plans still require a referral for coverage, so call us at (661) 282-8584 and we'll help you check.

Common questions

Ready to feel better?

Talk to a licensed physical therapist at ARI, one-on-one. Request an evaluation and we'll get back to you, usually within one business day.

Request an EvaluationCall (661) 282-8584

Sources

  1. Physical Therapist Management of Patients With Suspected or Confirmed Osteoporosis: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy. Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy (APTA Geriatrics clinical practice guideline), 2022.
  2. Osteoporosis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH.
  3. Exercise/Safe Movement. Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation.

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. If you have symptoms, a licensed clinician should evaluate you.

Clinically reviewed by Deepa Konnur, PT, MPT, OCS, board-certified Orthopedic Certified Specialist · Reviewed September 2026