OKenawa
Villars-sur-Glâne
A unique program in Switzerland to prevent osteoporosis.
A unique program in Switzerland to prevent osteoporosis
Since October 2023, a health and osteoporosis prevention program is offered in the municipality of Villars-sur-Glâne. Developed by the company OKenawa, founded by health and sports professionals – partly from the Fribourg hospital (HFR) –, this program offers specifically adapted physical exercises, particularly for people suffering from osteoporosis. These exercises are presented on sixteen panels located around the Platy Sports Center. This project, the result of a collaboration between OKenawa and the Villars municipality, offers an innovative tool for prevention and monitoring, which is already generating great interest in French-speaking Switzerland.
The origin of this project is an observation: patients who suffer from fractures or have osteoporosis sometimes find themselves at a loss once their treatment is over.
“The medical field treats the fracture, the laboratory analyzes the health of the bones, patients undergo physiotherapy sessions, and then, nothing more,” laments Dr. Benoît Fellay, co-founder of OKenawa and deputy head of the HFR laboratory.
Based on this observation, health and sports professionals joined forces to found the company OKenawa. « Our idea is to move from siloed care to a comprehensive and personalized approach. »
Objectives of the health program
The goal of this program is to prevent sedentary lifestyle and the many diseases associated with it, particularly osteoporosis, which affects one in two women and one in three men over 50. These individuals are at increased risk of fragility fractures.
« Our program offers them targeted and adapted exercises to prevent these fractures,” the members of OKenawa are pleased to say. While the idea may seem obvious, it is the only program of its kind in Switzerland.
« We receive patients from other cantons and some hospitals have contacted us, it's catching on! »
Press Release, Fribourg October 2023
Training day Nov. 2024