Osteoporosis poses a significant health concern, particularly for postmenopausal women, often leading to bone density loss and associated back problems. In this randomized controlled trial conducted at the Medical School, University of Vienna, the objective was to assess the impact of therapeutic exercise on bone density and back complaints in sedentary postmenopausal women.

Ninety-two participants with a history of back problems were randomly assigned to either exercise (groups 1 and 2) or control (group 3, no exercise). The exercise group was further categorized into compliant (group 1) and not fully compliant patients (group 2). Over a four-year period, participants engaged in regular, initially supervised therapeutic exercises aimed at restoring biomechanical function. Bone density in the forearm was measured using single photon absorptiometry at the beginning and end of the study, while subjective back complaints were documented.

The findings revealed a significant decrease in bone density in groups 2 and 3, indicating a potential natural progression of bone loss in sedentary postmenopausal women. In contrast, group 1, comprising compliant exercise participants, exhibited no significant change in bone density. Furthermore, subjective back complaints decreased exclusively in group 1, suggesting a positive impact of regular therapeutic exercise on back health.

This study emphasizes the potential benefits of long-term therapeutic exercise for sedentary postmenopausal women. Engaging in regular exercise not only correlated with a slowed loss of bone mass, particularly in compliant individuals, but also demonstrated a notable reduction in subjective back complaints. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating therapeutic exercise interventions into the management of osteoporosis, offering a holistic approach to address both bone health and associated back problems in this demographic.

Reference: Preisinger, E., Alacamlioglu, Y., Pils, K., Bosina, E., Metka, M., Schneider, B., & Ernst, E. (1996). Exercise therapy for osteoporosis: results of a randomised controlled trial. British journal of sports medicine, 30(3), 209-212.