Dynamic bone loading exercises for postmenopausal women: effect on the density of the distal radius.

A set of dynamic bone loading exercises for the distal forearm, designed for high rates of loading, within physiologic range, and diversity of strain regime, was applied to a group of postmenopausal osteoporotic women. The effect of five months of three weekly sessions, 50 minutes each, on the bone status was studied by measuring the bone density at the distal radius by the Compton scattering technique. A group of 14 women who participated in the program and an inactive group of 26 women were examined one year prior to the study, at its beginning and at its end. During the year preceding the exercise program the mean bone density in both groups decreased significantly. During the exercise period the bone density of the exercise group increased by 3.8% while that of the control group continued to decline. This study demonstrates that an appropriate physical activity regime may be effective as a prophylactic treatment for postmenopausal bone loss.