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Unipedal standing exercise and hip bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to test the effect of unipedal standing exercise on bone mineral density (BMD) of the hip in postmenopausal women. Japanese postmenopausal women (n = 94) were assigned at random to an exercise or control group (no exercise). The 6-month exercise program consisted of standing on a single foot for 1 min per leg 3 times per day. BMD of the hip was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. There was no significant difference in age and baseline hip BMD between the exercise group (n = 49) and control group (n = 45). Exercise did not improve hip BMD compared with the control group. Stepwise regression analysis identified old age as a significant determinant (p = 0.034) of increased hip total BMD at 6 months after exercise. In 31 participants aged ≥70 years, the exercise group (n = 20) showed significant increase in the values of hip BMD at the areas of total (p = 0.008), intertrochanteric (p = 0.023), and Ward’s triangle (p = 0.032). The same parameters were decreased in the control group (n = 11). The percent changes in hip BMD of the exercise group were not significantly different from those of the control group either in the participants with low baseline hip total BMD (<80% of the young adult mean) or high baseline hip total BMD (≥80% of the young adult mean). In conclusion, unipedal standing exercise for 6 months did not improve hip BMD in Japanese postmenopausal women. Effect of exercise on hip total BMD was age dependent. In participants aged ≥70 years, the exercise significantly increased hip total BMD.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Ms. Aiko Iwanaga and all the participants of Kyushu Trim Exercise Association. We also thank Dr. Kiyomi Aoyama, Director of Shinagawa Health Office, for introducing this Association. We appreciate the help of Professor Keizo Sakamoto, Showa University, for the instructive and helpful suggestions. This work was supported in part by a Health and Labour Sciences Research Grant (Comprehensive Research on Aging and Health, project registered No. 031) from the Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan

    Akinori Sakai, Toshihisa Oshige, Yukichi Zenke, Yoshiaki Yamanaka & Toshitaka Nakamura

  2. Department of Radiology, Arita-Kyouritsu Hospital, 2485-3 Tachibe, Arita, Saga, 849-4193, Japan

    Hitoshi Nagaishi

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  1. Akinori Sakai
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  2. Toshihisa Oshige
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  3. Yukichi Zenke
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  4. Yoshiaki Yamanaka
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  5. Hitoshi Nagaishi
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  6. Toshitaka Nakamura
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Correspondence to Akinori Sakai.

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Sakai, A., Oshige, T., Zenke, Y. et al. Unipedal standing exercise and hip bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. J Bone Miner Metab 28, 42–48 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00774-009-0100-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00774-009-0100-8

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