Mackenzie McMahon outside OsteoStrong studio at 245 West 72nd Street
By Claudie Benjamin
Most clients who go for services at OsteoStrong, either have back and joint pain, or have received a diagnosis of osteoporosis or osteopenia from a physician. Although some clients are in their 30’s, most are 50-plus.
Of course it’s impossible to literally turn back the clock, staying young forever. But, the message conveyed at OsteoStrong with its very cool, spacious environment, is that it’s worth the try. Why not build bone strength as a defense against weakness? Loss of bone strength, a common disability of aging often places individuals at high risk of falls resulting in broken bones and injuries related to balance problems. Increased bone strength may make a person less worried about lifting a package, boost their confidence about simply taking a walk and improve posture and balance.
Basically, what’s offered is a highly personalized skeletal strength conditioning session by a certified session coach on a method that takes the client through exercises on a set of four machines called The Spectrum. In combination, they work on every part of the body. Each machine is programmed to an individual user’s needs, gently challenging their strength. And, the goal is that over time, the client’s bone strength will be augmented.
Mackenzie McMahon, Manager of the local franchise, is hugely enthusiastic and engaging as she explains the benefits of the OsteoStrong approach. Mackenzie says there are 160 OsteoStrong franchises in the US and in many other countries.
The studio is spacious, clean, with a very contemporary vibe. Music plays not too loudly, some non-objective black, gray and silver art is displayed on the walls. The mood evoked in this studio is of a private, upscale training facility. The Upper West Side OsteoStrong opened at 245 West 72nd Street in January 2021.
Mackenzie explains that the exercises are done no more than once a week to allow bones to heal from the stress placed on them by the session.
A graduate of the University of Delaware, Mackenzie majored in health behavioral science and public health. She got a job with OsteoStrong almost four years ago working at the Greenwich, Connecticut studio. When she decided to move to New York, she accepted the owner’s offer to take on more responsibility and open Manhattan studios on the Upper West Side and on Park Ave in the Upper East Side.
A typical 15-20 minute weekly session at OsteoStrong involves an initial few minutes of relaxing and stretching. Client and coach progress through personalized exercises on the four Spectrum machines. The routine ends with a few final minutes of relaxing and stretching. Mackenzie says depending on what the clients’ goal is, “they usually see results within six to 18 months.”
Clients may opt for add-ons such as use of compression boots to improve circulation in the legs, red light therapy to help regeneration of skin cells by building natural collagen, and the Biocharger that helps regenerate and recharge cells depending on which program to make changes in the immediate environment to induce relaxation or reduce holiday depression disorder among 1,000 other options.