More than 100 women attended Wednesday’s Female Factor program on healthy bones. Nurse practitioner Teresa Law and physical therapist Rachel Green shared facts and tips on osteoporosis and stretching exercises during the one-hour session at The Studio in downtown Troy.

“The first thing that came to mind when I considered speaking to a room full of women in this county was osteoporosis,” Law said. “Our prevention strategies start now and they last a lifetime.”

Law listed several lifestyle changes that have been found to prevent osteoporosis, a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to fracture. The list included exercising, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol intake to two drinks per day and increasing the amount of calcium and vitamin D consumed.

Law said the biggest way to reduce the risk of osteoporosis was by consuming more calcium. She cited a 1990 study that found that the risk of osteoporosis decreased by 70 percent when women increased the calcium in their diets.

Green shared a list, too. She discussed the five most common mistakes women make when exercising.

That list included forgetting to stretch, which reduces the risk of injuries. Each stretch should be sustained for at least 30 seconds and should not be painful. Two common muscles that tend to tighten are the hamstring and the Achilles tendon. Green covered several stretches that would target the leg muscles.

Other mistakes women commonly made were poor posture, neglecting the pelvic floor, not taking 36-hour breaks between muscle workouts and buying bargain sports shoes.

“Bad shoes can cause hip problems, can cause knee problems, can cause back problems,” Green said. “I really have to emphasize spending money on shoes that are made for your feet.”

The next Female Factor, “Spice it up,” will be in February and feature a cooking lesson to spice things up with your Valentine. For more information or to make a reservation, call 670-5487 or email femalefactor@troymedicalcenter.com.