Effects of exercise programmes on quality of life in osteoporotic and osteopenic postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Li WC, Chen YC, Yang RS, Tsauo JY

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of exercise therapy on quality of life in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia. Four randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria, involving a total of 256 participants. Results revealed that the exercise groups showed significant improvements in the domains of physical function, pain, role physical and vitality. Furthermore, intervention with combined exercise programmes had better effects on physical function, pain and vitality domains than controls. Group exercise programmes also produced better results in these three domains. A short-duration exercise programme produced more improvement in physical function, role physical and vitality, whereas a long-duration exercise programme resulted in more improvement in physical function and pain domains.

This meta-analysis revealed better improvement in physical function, pain, role physical and vitality in the exercise groups. Combined exercise and group exercise programmes showed better outcomes in the physical function, pain and vitality domains, but different durations of exercise programme showed improvement in different domains.

Clinical Rehabilitation, 2009 Aug 28, online article ahead of print

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