Long-term home exercise program: effect in women at high risk of fracture.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether a better outcome in terms of physical frailty could be achieved with a regular home exercise program in women at high risk of fracture.


METHODS
Prospective long-term observational study.


METHODS
Outpatient clinic of physical medicine and rehabilitation.


METHODS
Women with a history of postmenopausal fractures and an age-adjusted low bone mass, as determined 7 to 12 years earlier.


METHODS
Home exercise program.


METHODS
Thirty-three women were followed. The exercise group and control group were compared with regard to fracture rates, episodes of falling, neuromuscular performance (one-leg stance, chair rise, body sway, tandem walk, tapping test), and bone mineral density (BMD).


RESULTS
Twenty-five women with a mean age of 73.8+/-5.7 yrs appeared for the investigation. An exercise program had been prescribed in 19 women, and six served as controls. Seven women of the exercise group (36.8%) regularly performed the exercises. No differences between participants of the groups in terms of fracture rates, falling episodes, neuromuscular performance, and BMD were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
It appears that a home exercise program does not affect the outcome of postmenopausal women at high risk of fracture.
Kerschan-Shindl
K
K
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Vienna, Austria.
Uher
E
E
Kainberger
F
F
Kaider
A
A
Ghanem
A H
AH
Preisinger
E
E
D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome