Improving strength in older women – can tech help?

Strength-related tech for stronger women?  With all of the digital health startups and corresponding $10 billion in investment, I was curious as to why none are helping women gain strength, which is known to be a direct link to maintaining balance and improving bone health, not to mention helping to prevent falls. I remember a book published years ago called Strong Women Stay Young, specifically focused on older women. The author, Miriam Nelson,  noted the importance of strength training and bone health – and in particular, avoiding osteoporosis, suffered by one in five women aged 50+.  It turns out, none of the 2024 digital health investments that are focused on women ($1.1 billion) tackled this dimension of women’s health.

Little in the way of fall prevention and strength exercises focus on older women. Yet adults, including women, aged 70+ are three times as likely to die from low-level falls. And those women who have osteoporosis are particularly at risk of breaking a bone that requires hospitalization. To mitigate risk besides medication, occasionally you may find an article here or there that suggests simple exercises to improve balance.  And some physical therapists have created helpful videos for those just beginning. Sometimes an article will suggest the benefit of improving muscle mass through strength training. But across all ages, only 27% of women do strength training. Two of the AARP AgeTech Collaborative startups, Vivo and MightyHealth, included strength training as part of the offering, but sadly, Mighty Health is shutting down next week.

So many health-related offerings for older adults are emerging.  CES 2025 offered some particular focus this past year, noting that “women spend an average of nine years in poor health, with conditions like osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s disproportionately affecting them.” And the fitness industry has begun to recognize middle-aged women as a target market, including a category of best exercise equipment for women over aged 50. Women are now enjoying the benefits of fitness bands and smart watches. Presumably as these women age into their 65-and-beyond decades, the fitness industry will have moved with them, well beyond assisted living’s chair exercises to actual strength training.