A 12-month randomized controlled trial of balance training in elderly women with osteoporosis: improvement of quality of life.

OBJECTIVE

Physical and psychological incapacity, including fear of falling is related to decreased satisfaction with life in osteoporosis (OP). The impact of a balance exercise program on improving the quality of life is not well established. We have, therefore, investigated the effect of 12-month Balance Training Program in quality of life, functional balance and falls in elderly OP women.

METHODS

Sixty consecutive women with senile OP were randomized into a Balance Training Group (BT) of 30 patients and no intervention control group (CG) of 30 patients. The BT program included techniques to improve balance over a period of 12 months (1h exercise session/week and home-based exercises). The quality of life was evaluated before and at the end of the trial using the Osteoporosis Assessment Questionnaire (OPAQ), functional balance was evaluated by Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Falls in the preceding year were noted and compared to the period of study.

RESULTS

The comparison of OPAQ variations (INITIAL-FINAL) revealed a significant improvement in quality of life in all parameters for BT compared to CG: well-being (1.61+/-1.44 vs. -1.46+/-1.32, p<0001), physical function (1.30+/-1.33 vs. -0.36+/-0.82, p<0.001), psychological status (1.58+/-1.36 vs. -1.02+/-0.83, p<0.001), symptoms (2.76+/-1.96 vs. -0.63+/-0.87, p<0.001), social interaction (1.01+/-1.51 vs. 0.35+/-1.08, p<0.001). Of note, this overall benefit was paralleled by an improvement of BBS (-5.5+/-5.67 vs. +0.5+/-4.88 p<0.001) and a reduction of falls in 50% in BT group vs. 26.6% for the CG (RR: 1.88, p<0.025).

CONCLUSION

The long-term Balance Training Program of OP women provides a striking overall health quality of life improvement in parallel with improving functional balance and reduced falls.