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The effect of land versus aquatic exercise program on bone mineral density and physical function in postmenopausal
Ardiana Murtezani1, Arian Nevzati2, Zana Ibraimi3
1Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic, University Clinical Center of Kosovo.
Background:
Osteoporosis is a multifactorial progressive skeletal disorder characterized by reduced bone mass. Exercise is widely recommended to reduce osteoporosis, falls and related fragility fractures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of land exercise (LE) and aquatic exercise (AE) on physical function and bone mineral density (BMD).
Material And Methods:
Fifty-eight postmenopausal women, aged 50-70 years, diagnosed with osteoporosis according to BMD measures, enrolled in this study. The subjects were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (LE group) or the control group (AE group). Physical function and BMD were assessed in all subjects in both groups before and after 10 months of intervention. Muscle strength, flexibility, balance, gait time and pain were measured to assess physical function. Bone mineral density at the lumbar spine was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).
Results:
There were no significant differences between the two groups in the baseline anthropometric data. The two groups were similar with respect to age, weight, height, and body mass index (p>0.05). After the exercise program, muscle strength, flexibility, gait time, pain, and bone density (p<0.001) improved significantly with LE compared to AE. There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to balance at the 10-month follow-up.
Conclusion:
Significant improvements in physical function and BMD suggest that LE is a possible alternative for postmenopausal women with OP.
