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Exercise increases BMD at key sites in postmenopausal women



DOI:10.1038/bonekey.2013.82

Kelley et al. conducted a meta-analysis of studies that investigated how ground exercise (e.g. walking) and/or exercise involving joint reaction (e.g. strength training) affected bone mineral density (BMD) at the femoral neck and the lumbar spine in postmenopausal women.

A total of 25 studies with 1775 participants met the inclusion criteria. The complex statistical analysis revealed a significant positive impact of both types of exercise on BMD; the benefits noted at the lumbar spine were less marked than at the femoral neck.

The authors estimate that 127 968 of the US population of postmenopausal women would experience a beneficial increase in BMD at the femoral neck if they started and then continued exercising. This would lower the 20-year relative risk of suffering a fracture due to osteoporosis by approximately 11% (femoral neck) and 10% (lumbar spine). The authors suggest that the impact of exercise on BMD in postmenopausal women should be investigated in large randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Editor’s comment: Exercise also enhanced fitness levels, and increased lean body mass and upper and lower body strength. It is interesting to note that the same group recently published a meta-analysis of RCTs for exercise and BMD in men.


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