Dept. of Physical Education, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan, West Bengal
Online published on 31 January, 2015.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of 12 week weight-bearing exercises on functional fitness of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.
Forty postmenopausal women with osteoporosis diagnosed by ultrasound bone densitometry with an age range of 45 to 85 years were included for this study as subjects. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental group-A (N=10), control group-A (N=10), experimental group-B (N=10) and Control group-B (N=10). The exercise group participated in a 12 week weight-bearing exercise programme at a frequency of three times per week. The control group followed only normal daily activities. Exercise testing on upper body strength (Hand Grip test), lower body strength (Chair Rising Test), flexibility (Chair Sit and Reach test), agility (8 feet Up and Go test), balance (One leg stand test) and endurance (2-minute Step in Place test) was conducted to assess selected variables. Assessments were performed prior to commencing the exercise programme and after completion of the exercise programme.
A statistically significant difference was found in all the parameters excepting flexibility in the exercise group (p<0.05).
It may reasonably be concluded that weight-bearing exercises have beneficial effects on developing upper and lower body strengths, agility, balance and endurance of the postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.
