How a grandmother’s broken hip inspired one man to prevent osteoporosis around the world
Michael Smith is a man on a mission – and he’s set his sights high. Using science developed by NASA to maintain bone health in astronauts, he’s offering osteoporosis sufferers around the world access to the world’s first tool to prevent osteoporosis.
The ambitious goal began to form when Michael’s grandmother fell and broke her hip. It was the fall that ultimately led to her death as a result of osteoporosis and the complications to which the disease so often leads.
Michael went on to establish a career based on the use of whole-body vibration for medical purposes. German medical-engineering firm who have launched Marodyne LiV, the world’s first medically approved non-drug preventative tool for osteoporosis. His hope is that it will deliver a better and safer future for those with this life-limiting condition.
Marodyne LiV is a therapeutic device that applies very precise, low-intensity vibrations to the body in order to increase bone density and quality. It has full approval for medical use throughout Europe, under the EU Medical Devices Directive. It is a high quality, precision instrument with a weight of scientific evidence to show its efficacy.
Marodyne is supervised by a scientific advisory board with leading experts from the fields of bio-medicine, orthopaedics, osteoporosis, metabolism, rehabilitation medicine and stem cell research. Just 10 minutes per day on the device also builds muscle strength and mass in the legs, stimulates blood circulation and improves balance and coordination.
Michael feels incredibly passionate about the global potential that the device holds for treating osteoporosis. Around the world, the disease affects the lives of over 200 million people. According to Age UK, nearly 3 million people in the UK are suffering as a result of the condition, which causes 300,000 bone fractures per year in this country alone.
“Osteoporosis is an incredibly debilitating disease, both physically and mentally,” explains Michael. “Not only do sufferers become less mobile, but the fear of falling can be extremely isolating and give rise to a whole host of issues, from loneliness to anxiety, that adds to the pain of the disease itself. Marodyne LiV can change all that by actively reversing the effects of osteoporosis without the use of drugs.”
The fact that Marodyne LiV delivers drug-free prevention is a major part of the appeal for Michael – he is delighted by the device’s ability to treat the causes of osteoporosis without causing any of the side effects for which the drugs used to treat the disease are known.
While Marodyne LiV can be used at any age, the earlier it is used to fight osteoporosis, the better. Users also benefit from improved muscle tone in their legs, which cuts down the risk of falls (an ever-present worry for those diagnosed with this damaging disease).
Marodyne LiV can reach as many people as possible who need it, and he isn’t afraid to take on ‘Big Pharma’ with the safe and effective device. His passion to alleviate suffering around the globe has most recently seen Marodyne LiV approved for use across Europe, where it will be sold both to individual customers and to corporate clients, ranging from hospitals to care homes. Michael is passionate about the product and its potential:
“This is a key step in helping to treat osteoporosis and in supporting older people to live more independently, without fear of falls and their consequences. There are still barriers to overcome, of course. In the UK, for example, osteoporosis assessment usually only takes place after a patient has broken a bone. I’d like to see a far more proactive approach, focused on treatment before any breaks occur, rather than after.”
Michael’s enthusiasm for the huge global potential to alleviate the suffering that Marodyne LiV holds is inspiring. It’s not uncommon to hear about people who want to change the world; it’s much rarer to find someone who actually has the power to do so – which is precisely why Michael is a man to watch over the next few years.