Wearable apparatus for the treatment or prevention of osteopenia and osteoporosis

A wearable apparatus for stimulating bone growth, preserving or improving bone strength, or inhibiting adipogenesis, comprising:

• one or more vibrating elements configured for imparting repeated mechanical loads to the hip and/or spine of an individual at an acceleration sufficient for therapeutic effect on stimulating bone growth, preserving or improving bone strength, or inhibiting adipogenesis;
• one or more securing mechanisms for securing the one or more vibrating elements to the body of the individual such that the one or more vibrating elements are maintained against the body while maintaining portability, wherein the securing mechanisms are configured to position the one or more vibrating elements in a direction lateral to the individual;
• one or more accelerometers configured to be positioned over a hip or spine of the individual when the wearable apparatus is worn and configured to measure a feedback acceleration at the hip or spine of the individual;
• and
• an electronics assembly in communication with the one or more accelerometers, wherein the electronics assembly is configured to adjust the acceleration via the one or more vibrating elements based on the feedback acceleration from the one or more accelerometers.

A method for stimulating bone growth, preserving or improving bone strength, or inhibiting adipogenesis, comprising:

• maintaining one or more vibrating elements against an area of bone in a body of an individual via one or more securing mechanisms such that the one or more vibrating elements are maintained against the body while maintaining portability, wherein the one or more securing mechanisms are configured to position the one or more vibrating elements in a direction lateral to the individual;
• imparting repeated mechanical loads to the area of bone via one or more vibrating elements at an acceleration sufficient for therapeutic effect on stimulating bone growth, preserving or improving bone strength, or inhibiting adipogenesis;
• measuring a feedback acceleration at a hip or spine of the individual by one or more accelerometers positioned over the hip or spine when the one or more vibrating elements are worn by the individual, wherein the one or more accelerometers are in communication with an electronics assembly;
• and
• adjusting the acceleration via the one or more vibrating elements in response to the feedback acceleration.

A wearable apparatus for stimulating bone growth, preserving or improving bone strength, or inhibiting adipogenesis, comprising:

• one or more vibrating elements configured for imparting repeated mechanical loads to a hip and/or spine of an individual at an acceleration sufficient for therapeutic effect on stimulating bone growth, preserving or improving bone strength, or inhibiting adipogenesis;
• one or more securing mechanisms for securing the one or more vibrating elements to the body of the individual such that the one or more vibrating elements are maintained against the body while maintaining portability, wherein the securing mechanisms are configured to position the one or more vibrating elements in a direction lateral to the individual;
• one or more accelerometers configured to be positioned over the hip and/or spine of the individual when the wearable apparatus is worn and configured to measure a feedback acceleration at the hip and/or spine of the individual;
• a force or tension sensor attached to the one or more securing mechanisms and configured to measure a force of the one or more vibrating elements against the body;
• and
• an electronics assembly in communication with the one or more accelerometers and with the force or tension sensor, wherein the electronics assembly is configured to adjust the acceleration via the one or more vibrating elements based on the feedback acceleration from the one or more accelerometers or based on the force from the force or tension sensor.

A method for stimulating bone growth, preserving or improving bone strength, or inhibiting adipogenesis, comprising:

• maintaining one or more vibrating elements against an area of bone in a body of an individual via one or more securing mechanisms such that the one or more vibrating elements are maintained against the body while maintaining portability, wherein the one or more securing mechanisms are configured to position the one or more vibrating elements in a direction lateral to the individual;
• imparting repeated mechanical loads to the area of bone via one or more vibrating elements at an acceleration sufficient for therapeutic effect on stimulating bone growth, preserving or improving bone strength, or inhibiting adipogenesis;
• measuring a feedback acceleration at a hip or spine of the individual by one or more accelerometers positioned over the hip or spine when the one or more vibrating elements are worn by the individual, wherein the one or more accelerometers are in communication with an electronics assembly;
• measuring a force of the one or more vibrating elements against the body via a force or tension sensor along the one or more securing mechanisms, wherein the force or tension sensor is in communication with the electronics assembly;
• and
• adjusting the acceleration via the one or more vibrating elements in response to the feedback acceleration or from the force along the one or more securing mechanisms.