title: Positive Effects of Physiotherapy on Chronic Pain and Performance in Osteoporosis
   Multidisciplinary patient education in groups increases knowledge on osteoporosis: A randomized controlled trial Effect of community-based nutrition education intervention on calcium intake and bone mass in postmenopausal Vietnamese women. Exercise therapy for osteoporosis: results of a randomised controlled trial. Efficacy of a Self-Management Program for Osteoporotic Subjects Effects on function and quality of life of postoperative home-based physical therapy for patients with hip fracture. Community-based exercise program reduces risk factors for falls in 65- to 75-year-old women with osteoporosis: randomized controlled trial. Effects of extended outpatient rehabilitation after hip fracture: a randomized controlled trial. Structural Model for Osteoporosis Preventing Behavior in Postmenopausal Women What is the impact of osteoporosis education and bone mineral density testing for postmenopausal women in a managed care setting? Does an educational leaflet improve self-reported adherence to therapy in osteoporosis? The OPTIMA study Effect of low-intensity back exercise on quality of life and back extensor strength in patients with osteoporosis: a randomized controlled trial Effect of monitoring bone turnover markers on persistence with risedronate treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. A multifaceted intervention to improve treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women with wrist fractures: a cluster randomized trial The impact of monitoring on adherence and persistence with antiresorptive treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis: a randomized controlled trial. Efficacy of home-based exercise for improving quality of life among elderly women with symptomatic osteoporosis-related vertebral fractures Results of a 10 week community based strength and balance training programme to reduce fall risk factors: a randomised controlled trial in 65–75 year old women with osteoporosis Effectiveness of a falls-and-fracture nurse coordinator to reduce falls: a randomized, controlled trial of at-risk older adults. Tailored Interventions to Enhance Osteoporosis Prevention in Women Multifaceted intervention to improve diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in patients with recent wrist fracture: a randomized controlled trial A randomized, prospective study of the effects of Tai Chi Chun exercise on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. Use of a case manager to improve osteoporosis treatment after hip fracture: results of a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Abstract : The aim of this placebo-controlled , r and omized , single-masked study was to establish the effects of a 10-week ambulatory exercise programme for osteoporotic patients on pain , use of analgesics , functional status , quality of life , balance and muscle strength .  Fifty-three ambulatory postmenopausal women with at least one spinal crush fracture and pains within the last 3 years were r and omized for physiotherapeutic training twice a week for 10 weeks or no training . The training included general training of balance and muscle strength , with stabilization of the lumbar spine . The participants were tested at baseline , week 5 and week 10 with a balance test , muscle strength test and question naires on pain , use of analgesics , functional status and quality of life . Twelve weeks after the supervised training had finished ( week 22 ) they answered the same question naires . The study groups were comparable at baseline . The training group had a significant reduction in use of analgesics ( p= 0.02 ) and pain level ( p= 0.01 ) during the training period . Distribution of functional score improved ; the improvement was reduced at week 22 . Quality of life score improved significantly throughout the study ( p= 0.0008 ) , even after week 22 . Balance improved non-significantly ( p= 0.08 ) . Quadriceps muscle strength improved significantly after 5 weeks ( p= 0.04 ) . Back extensor muscle strength improved almost significantly ( p= 0.09 ) . In conclusion , this training programme for osteoporotic patients  improved balance and level of daily function and decreased experience of pain and use of analgesics . Quality of life was improved even beyond the active training period Introduction : Specific pharmacological treatment reduces the incidence of fractures significantly in patients with osteoporosis . Unfortunately , compliance with such therapy is low in clinical practice and is inversely related to educational level . We hypothesized that patients '  knowledge of osteoporosis may be increased by a group-based multidisciplinary education programme . Methods : Three hundred patients , aged 45—81 years , recently diagnosed with osteoporosis and started on specific treatment  , were r and omized to either the " school ' ' or " control ' ' group . Teaching was performed by nurses , physiotherapists , dieticians , and doctors , and design ed to increase the patient 's empowerment . The patient 's knowledge of osteoporosis was tested at study entry and at 3 months using a vali date d question naire . Results : At study entry , no differences in age or score ( 22 ( 18—24 ) ( median ( 25—75 percentiles ) ) vs. 22 ( 18—24 ) ) were seen between the school and control groups . The change in knowledge during the study , however , differed significantly between the two groups ( p<0.001 ) . In the school group , the increase in knowledge score correlated inversely with the level of education ; that is , the lower the education level , the higher the gain in knowledge during the course ( Rho=-0.25 , p<0.01 ) . Conclusions : A group-based multidisciplinary education programme significantly increases patients ' knowledge of the disease OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of community-based nutrition education intervention on calcium intake and bone mass in Vietnamese postmenopausal women . DESIGN A controlled trial was conducted in two groups as intervention and control . The intervention group was given nutrition education during 18 months to improve calcium intake , while the control subjects had the usual diet .  Calcium intake and bone mass were evaluated every 6 months . Bone mass was assessed by speed of sound ( SOS ) at calcaneus , referred to as quantitative ultrasound measurement . Anthropometric indices and serum parathyroid hormone ( PTH ) were determined at baseline and at the end of intervention . SETTING Two rural communes of Hai Duong province located in the Red River Delta in Vietnam . SUBJECTS A total of 140 women aged 55 - 65 years , who were more than 5 years postmenopausal and with low calcium intake ( < 400 mg/d ) , were recruited . After 18 months of intervention , 108 women completed the study . RESULTS Calcium intake in the intervention group had increased significantly ( P < 0.01 ) while it had no significant changes in controls . SOS values were not changed significantly in the intervention subjects while it decreased significantly by 0.5 % in the controls ( P < 0.01 ) . The intervention led to a decrease in serum PTH by 12 % ( P < 0.01 ) . In the controls , there was an increase in serum PTH by 32 % ( P < 0.001 ) . CONCLUSION Nutrition education intervention was effective in improving calcium intake and retarding bone loss in the studied subjects OBJECTIVE : To define the effects of therapeutic exercise on bone density and back complaints . METHODS : A r and omised controlled trial with parallel groups was conducted in an outpatient clinic , Medical School , University of Vienna . Ninety two sedentary post-menopausal women with back problems were r and omly allocated to either exercise ( groups 1 and 2 ) or control ( group 3 , no exercise , n = 31 ) ; the exercise group was retrospectively subdivided into compliant ( group 1 , n = 27 ) and not fully compliant patients ( group 2 , n = 34 ) . Regular , initially supervised therapeutic exercise aim ed at restoring biomechanical function was performed for four years . Bone density in the forearm was measured by single photon absorptiometry at entry and after four years ; subjective back complaints were documented . RESULTS : A significant decrease in bone density was observed in groups 2 and 3 ; no change was noted in group 1 ; back complaints decreased in group 1 only . CONCLUSIONS : Sedentary postmenopausal women may benefit from regular long term therapeutic exercise in terms of subjective back complaints and slowed loss of bone mass Alp A , Kanat E , Yurtkuran M : Efficacy of a self-management program for osteoporotic subjects . Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2007;86:633–640 . Objective : This study is based on whether the self-management program choices For Better Bone Health is effective to promote behavioral strategies for improving bone health , life quality , pain perception , physical function , and balance in osteoporotic subjects . Design : In this single-blind , r and omized controlled study , a total of 50 sedentary women with postmenopausal and idiopathic osteoporosis were selected from the out patients of Atatürk Balneotherapy and Rehabilitation Center according to their physical activity level and T scores of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry as the inclusion criteria . Fifty sedentary women with BMD T scores of −2.5 or lower were r and omized into two groups ( self-management group : group 1 ; and control group : group 2 ) and enrolled in a 6-mo study . Participants attended self-management class once a week for 5 wks . Evaluations were done at baseline , at the end of the fifth week , and at the sixth month . Pain-intensity evaluation by Visual Analogue Scale ( VAS ) , life- quality assessment s by SF-36 , balance testing by Sensitized Romberg Test ( SRT ) , and functional assessment by Timed Sit to St and test ( TSS ) and a simple question naire were the outcome measures . Results : When the groups were compared by change scores and percentages of change , improvements observed in pain intensity by VAS ( P < 0.001 ) , SF-36 Physical Function ( P < 0.001 ) , SF-36 Physical Role Limitations ( P < 0.001 ) , SF-36 Social Function ( P < 0.001 ) , SF-36 Mental Health ( P < 0.001 ) , SF-36 Vitality ( P < 0.01 ) , SF-36 Pain ( P < 0.001 ) , SF-36 General Health Perceptions ( P < 0.05 ) , SF-36 Emotional Role Limitations ( P < 0.01 ) , SRT eyes open ( P < 0.001 ) , SRT eyes closed ( P < 0.001 ) , and TSS ( P < 0.001 ) were determined to be superior in group 1 at the end of the sixth month . Seventy-four percent of patients in group 1 engaged in regular physical activities , and 92 % of them declared that they understood the purpose and benefits of medications and  dietary calcium intake . Fifty-seven percent of them formed personal plans for preventing traumas , whereas 8 % of the subjects in group 2 experienced new falls but no fractures . Conclusion : It is determined that the self-management class led to improvements in functional , balance , and life- quality outcomes and to reductions in pain perception OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of a 3-month home-based physical therapy ( PT ) program for patients with hip fracture after surgery . DESIGN R and omized controlled trial . SETTING Home . PARTICIPANTS Twenty-five patients recently discharged from an acute orthopedic department . INTERVENTIONS Patients were r and omized to the home-based PT group ( n=13 ) , where they received home-based PT 8 times from discharge to month 3 postdischarge , or to the control group ( n=12 ) . The home-based PT program included exercises for muscle strengthening , range of motion ( ROM ) , balance , and functional training . Patients in the control group were instructed to practice the exercise program given at bedside before discharge . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Patients were evaluated for hip ROM , strength , walking velocity , Harris hip score , and health-related quality of life ( HRQOL ) at the week of discharge and at 1 , 3 , and 6 months after discharge . RESULTS The baseline characteristics showed no difference between the 2 groups . Harris score of the home-based PT group progressed from 58.6+/-8.5 to 90.1+/-5.4 at month 3 , whereas Harris score of the control group progressed from 54.6+/-14.5 to 77.4+/-10.0 ( P<.01 ) . Scores of the psychologic domain of HRQOL for the home-based PT group were significantly better at month 1 ( P<.05 ) and month 3 ( P<.01 ) after discharge . Moreover , the physical domain score of the home-based PT group was also significantly better ( P<.05 ) at 3 months after discharge . CONCLUSIONS Home-based PT programs could help patients regain function and HRQOL earlier BACKGROUND Exercise programs improve balance , strength and agility in elderly people and thus may prevent falls . However , specific exercise programs that might be widely used in the community and that might be " prescribed " by physicians , especially for patients with osteoporosis , have not been evaluated . We conducted a r and omized controlled trial of such a program design ed specifically for women with osteoporosis . METHODS We identified women 65 to 75 years of age in whom osteoporosis had been diagnosed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in our hospital between 1996 and 2000 and who were not engaged in regular weekly programs of moderate or hard exercise .  Women who agreed to participate were r and omly assigned to participate in a twice-weekly exercise class or to not participate in the class . We measured baseline data and , 20 weeks later , changes in static balance ( by dynamic posturography ) , dynamic balance ( by a timed figure-eight run ) and knee extension strength ( by dynamometry ) . RESULTS Of 93 women who began the trial , 80 completed it . Before adjustment for covariates , the intervention group tended to have greater , although nonsignificant , improvements in static balance ( mean difference 4.8 % , 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] -1.3 % to 11.0 % ) , dynamic balance ( mean difference 3.3 % , 95 % CI -1.7 % to 8.4 % ) and knee extension strength ( mean difference 7.8 % , 95 % CI -5.4 % to 21.0 % ) . Mean crude changes in the static balance score were -0.85 ( 95 % CI -2.91 to 1.21 ) for the control group and 1.40 ( 95 % CI -0.66 to 3.46 ) for the intervention group . Mean crude changes in figure-eight velocity ( dynamic balance ) were 0.08 ( 95 % CI 0.02 to 0.14 ) m/s for the control group and 0.14 ( 95 % CI 0.08 to 0.20 ) m/s for the intervention group . For knee extension strength , mean changes were -0.58 ( 95 % CI -3.02 to 1.81 ) kg/m for the control group and 1.03 ( 95 % CI -1.31 to 3.34 ) kg/m for the intervention group . After adjustment for age , physical activity and years of estrogen use , the improvement in dynamic balance was 4.9 % greater for the intervention group than for the control group ( p = 0.044 ) . After adjustment for physical activity , cognitive status and number of fractures ever , the improvement in knee extension strength was 12.8 % greater for the intervention group than for the control group ( p = 0.047 ) . The intervention group also had a 6.3 % greater improvement in static balance after adjustment for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis , but this difference was not significant ( p = 0.06 ) . INTERPRETATION Relative to controls , participants in the exercise program experienced improvements in dynamic balance and strength , both important determinants of risk for falls , particularly in older women with osteoporosis CONTEXT Hip fractures are common in the elderly , and despite st and ard rehabilitation , many patients fail to regain their prefracture ambulatory or functional status . OBJECTIVE To determine whether extended outpatient rehabilitation that includes progressive resistance training improves physical function and reduces disability compared with low-intensity home exercise among physically frail elderly patients with hip fracture . DESIGN , SETTING , AND PATIENTS R and omized controlled trial conducted between August 1998 and May 2003 among 90 community-dwelling women and men aged 65 years or older who had had surgical repair of a proximal femur fracture no more than 16 weeks prior and had completed st and ard physical therapy .  INTERVENTION Participants were r and omly assigned to 6 months of either supervised physical therapy and exercise training ( n = 46 ) or home exercise ( control condition ; n = 44 ) . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcome measures were total scores on a modified Physical Performance Test ( PPT ) , the Functional Status Question naire physical function subscale ( FSQ ) , and activities of daily living scales . Secondary outcome measures were st and ardized measures of skeletal muscle strength , gait , balance , quality of life , and body composition . Participants were evaluated at baseline , 3 months , and 6 months . RESULTS Changes over time in the PPT and FSQ scores favored the physical therapy group ( P = .003 and P = .01 , respectively ) . Mean change ( SD ) in PPT score for physical therapy was + 6.5 ( 5.5 ) points ( 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 4.6 - 8.3 ) , and for the control condition was + 2.5 ( 3.7 ) points ( 95 % CI , 1.4 - 3.6 points ) . Mean change ( SD ) in FSQ score for physical therapy was + 5.2 ( 5.4 ) points ( 95 % CI , 3.5 - 6.9 ) and for the control condition was + 2.9 ( 3.8 ) points ( 95 % CI , 1.7 - 4.0 ) . Physical therapy also had significantly greater improvements than the control condition in measures of muscle strength , walking speed , balance , and perceived health but not bone mineral density or fat-free mass . CONCLUSION In community-dwelling frail elderly patients with hip fracture , 6 months of extended outpatient rehabilitation that includes progressive resistance training can improve physical function and quality of life and reduce disability compared with low-intensity home exercise Background : Osteoporosis prevention behaviors ( OPBs ) can prevent and delay bone deterioration ; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry ( DXA ) scan can identify osteoporosis and provide personal osteoporosis risk information that may promote prevention behaviors . Objectives : This study was design ed to estimate relationships between receiving personal knowledge of bone mineral density ( gained through DXA scan ) , general knowledge of osteoporosis , health beliefs , and the two OPBs of calcium intake and weight-bearing exercise in healthy postmenopausal women 50 to 65 years . Methods : In this longitudinal , r and omized clinical trial ( including covariates ) , receipt of personal DXA information was manipulated by r and om assignment to the experimental or control group . The remaining antecedent and outcome variable measures were collected by question naire at three time points ( initial [ T1 ; pre-DXA ] , 6 months [ T2 ] , 12 months [ T3 ] ) and by bone density assessment from 203 women over an 18-month period in 2001 - 2003 . Results : The experimental manipulation ( DXA results ) had a direct positive effect ( & bgr ; = .23 , p < .05 ) on calcium intake at T2 , and indirectly at T3 through T2 . Women in the experimental group who were informed they had osteopenia or osteoporosis had a greater T1-T2 change in daily calcium intake than those with normal bone density ( & bgr ; = .23 , p < .05 ) . However , providing DXA results did not relate to change in exercise . Health beliefs and general osteoporosis knowledge predicted initial calcium and exercise levels ; there was tentative evidence that susceptibility beliefs partially mediate between DXA results and change in calcium intake . Discussion : Personal knowledge of DXA results was related significantly to increases in calcium intake in postmenopausal women , but not to exercise . Directions for further study are discussed Objective To assess whether osteoporosis education , with and without bone mineral density ( BMD ) testing , increases the initiation of lifestyle changes and pharmaceutical treatment to prevent osteoporosis . Design A total of 508 women , aged 54–65 , from a large managed care organization who were not on osteoporosis prevention therapy participated in an intervention study . Participants were r and omly assigned to either an education class on osteoporosis ( n = 301 ) or education plus BMD ( n = 207 ) . A control group of 187 women receiving no intervention were also surveyed to serve as comparison . Group differences and differences based on BMD test result were compared 6 months after education regarding self-reported changes in health behaviors using & khgr;2 tests and logistic regression analyses . Results Of the 508 intervention participants , 455 ( 90 % ) responded to the follow-up survey . Initiation of hormone replacement therapy was reported by 9 % , with 5 % reporting starting alendronate . More than half reported changes in diet , exercise , or calcium intake . Forty-three percent increased their vitamin D intake . There were no significant group differences in behavior except with regard to pharmaceutical therapy ; subjects with education plus BMD were three times more likely than those receiving education only to report starting hormone replacement therapy ( p = 0.004 ) . Low BMD scores were associated with increasing vitamin D intake ( p = 0.03 ) and starting medication ( p = 0.001 ) . Women in the intervention groups were significantly more likely to report modifying their diet ( p < 0.001 ) , calcium ( p < 0.01 ) , and vitamin D intake ( p < 0.0001 ) than women in the control group , not exposed to education . Conclusion Education regarding osteoporosis prevention seems to encourage women to make lifestyle changes . The inclusion of BMD testing enhances the likelihood that women will consider pharmaceutical therapy Introduction Adherence to treatment in osteoporosis remains poor . The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an educational leaflet on adherence to medication and to assess the association between adherence and health-related quality of life ( HRQOL ) . Methods A naturalistic , observational , multi-center , prospect i ve study of 12 months ’ follow-up was performed . Consecutive post-menopausal women aged 50 years to 86 years starting treatment with raloxifene according to daily practice were enrolled from 126 primary care offices in Spain . The women were assigned to two study groups . Group A received an educational leaflet with general information about osteoporosis ; group B followed current practice . To assess adherence to medication and HRQOL , the Morisky test and the EuroQoL question naire were administered . A total of 745 post-menopausal women ( group A , n=366 ; group B n=379 ) , with a mean age of 62 years , were included . Results Most patients in both study groups showed high adherence to raloxifene at the 3-month visit : 56.3 % vs 62.7 % for groups A and B , respectively ; this proportion at the 12-month visit was 47.4 % ( P=0.15 ) and 52.5 % ( P=0.02 ) , respectively . At baseline , “ pain/discomfort ” was the dimension showing the highest percentage of women reporting problems : 86.4 % vs 83.2 % in groups A and B , respectively ( P=0.22 ) . HRQOL improved in both groups throughout the study , with an overall mean increment in the EuroQoL visual analog scale ( EQ VAS ) of 9.2 at 12 months ( P<0.01 ) . Correlations between adherence and HRQOL were weak . After receiving an educational leaflet , young post-menopausal women suffering osteoporosis did not show improvement in adherence to therapy . HRQOL improved at 12-month follow-up under treatment . Conclusion No consistent correlation between adherence and HRQOL was found Summary R and omized controlled study in 80 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis was conducted to investigate the effect of a home-based , simple , low-intensity exercise . Low-intensity back-strengthening exercise was effective in improving the quality of life and back extensor strength . Introduction and hypothesisBack-strengthening exercise is effective in increasing back extensor strength and decreasing risk of vertebral fractures . We hypothesized that a home-based , simple , low-intensity exercise could enhance back extensor strength and improve the quality of life and /or spinal range of motion in postmenopausal women in a short-term follow-up . Methods Eighty postmenopausal women with osteoporosis were r and omly assigned to a  control group ( n = 38 ) or an exercise group ( n = 42 ) . Subjects were instructed to lift their upper trunk from a prone position antigravity and maintain the neutral position . Isometric back extensor strength , spinal range of motion , and scores for quality of life were evaluated at baseline and 4 months . Results Back extensor strength significantly increased both in the exercise group ( 26 % ) and in the control group ( 11 % ) . Scores for quality of life increased in the exercise group ( 7 % ) , whereas it remained unchanged in the control group ( 0 % ) . There was a significant difference in quality of life score between the groups ( p = 0.012 ) . Conclusions Low-intensity back-strengthening exercise was effective in improving the quality of life and back extensor strength in patients with osteoporosis CONTEXT Persistence with osteoporosis treatment is poor but is important for maximum benefit . OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to assess the impact of physician reinforcement using bone turnover markers ( BTMs ) on persistence with risedronate treatment . DESIGN AND SETTING This was a 1-yr multinational prospect i ve , open-label , blinded study in 171 osteoporosis centers in 21 countries . PATIENTS A total of 2382 postmenopausal women ( 65 - 80 yr old ) with spine/hip T-score -2.5 or less or T-score -1.0 or less with a low-trauma fracture . INTERVENTION Intervention included calcium 500 mg/d , vitamin D 400 IU/d , and risedronate 5 mg/d for 1 yr . Centers were r and omized to reinforcement ( RE+ ) or no reinforcement ( RE- ) . At 13 and 25 wk , reinforcement based on urinary N-telopeptide of type I collagen change from baseline was provided to the RE+ patients using the following response categories : good ( > 30 % decrease ) , stable ( -30 % to + 30 % change ) , or poor ( > 30 % increase ) . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Persistence assessed with electronic drug monitors was measured . RESULTS In the overall efficacy population ( n=2302 ) , persistence was unexpectedly high and was similar for both groups ( RE- , 77 % ; RE+ , 80 % ; P=0.160 ) . A significant relationship between the type of message and persistence was observed ( P=0.017 ) . Compared with RE- , intervention based on a good BTM response was associated with a significant improvement in persistence [ hazard ratio ( HR ) 0.71 ; 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) 0.53 - 0.95 ] . Persistence was unchanged ( HR 1.02 ; 95 % CI 0.74 - 1.40 ) or lower ( HR 2.22 ; 95 % CI 1.27 - 3.89 ) when reinforcement was based on a stable or poor BTM response , respectively . Reinforcement was associated with a lower incidence of new radiologically determined vertebral fractures ( odds ratio 0.4 ; 95 % CI , 0.2 - 1.0 ) . CONCLUSIONS Reinforcement using BTMs influences persistence with treatment in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis , depending on the BTM response observed Summary In a cluster r and omized trial , we evaluated the effect of a multifaceted intervention ( directed at both patient and primary care physician ) on the rates of testing and treatment of osteoporosis  in postmenopausal women within six months of their wrist fracture . Compared to usual care , women in the intervention practice s were three times more likely to receive bone mineral density testing and prescribed osteoporosis treatments . Introduction Postmenopausal women with wrist fractures are at increased risk of future fragility fractures , yet they frequently do not receive evaluation and treatment for osteoporosis . We set out to evaluate a multifaceted intervention design ed to improve management of osteoporosis in older women with recent wrist fractures . Methods Cluster r and omized trial of 270 women cared for in 119 primary care practice s. We recruited postmenopausal women with an acute wrist fracture from the emergency departments of hospitals in southeastern Ontario , Canada . Family practice s were r and omly assigned to either the intervention or usual care . The intervention consisted of a mailed reminder with a summary of treatment guidelines and letter sent to the primary care physician , in addition to an educational package and letter to the women . The primary outcome was the proportion of women prescribed osteoporosis therapy within 6 months of their fracture . Results The mean age of women was 69(10.9 ) years . The intervention increased the proportion of women started on osteoporosis medications ( 28 % vs. 10 % ) of controls , adjusted OR 3.45 , 95 % CI , 1.58–7.56 , p = 0.002 ) and the proportion who had a bone mineral density ( BMD ) test ( 53.3 % vs. 26 % ) of controls , OR 3.38 , 95 % CI , 1.83–6.26 , p < 0.001 ) . In addition to the intervention , having a female physician was a predictor of increased testing and treatment rates . Conclusion A multifaceted intervention significantly improved rates of osteoporosis treatment and BMD testing in postmenopausal women with wrist fractures Long-term adherence and persistence with any therapy are very poor ( approximately 50 % ) . Adherence to therapy is defined as the percentage of prescribed medication taken , and persistence is defined as continuing to take prescribed medication . We examined whether monitoring by nursing staff could enhance adherence and persistence with antiresorptive therapy and whether presenting information on response to therapy provided additional benefit . In addition we evaluated the impact of monitoring on treatment efficacy . Seventy-five postmenopausal women with osteopenia were r and omized to 1 ) no monitoring , 2 ) nurse-monitoring , or 3 ) marker-monitoring . All subjects were prescribed raloxifene .  At 12 , 24 , and 36 wk , the nursing staff review ed subjects in the monitored ( nurse-monitoring or marker-monitoring ) groups using a predefined protocol . The marker-monitored group were also presented a graph of response to therapy using percentage change in urinary N-telopeptide of type I collagen ( uNTX ) , a bone resorption marker , at each visit . Biological response to therapy at 1 yr was determined using the percent change in bone mineral density ( BMD ) and uNTX . Treatment adherence and persistence were assessed using electronic monitoring devices . Survival analysis showed that the monitored group increased cumulative adherence to therapy by 57 % compared with no monitoring ( P = 0.04 ) . There was a trend for the monitored group to persist with therapy for 25 % longer compared with no monitoring ( P = 0.07 ) . Marker measurements did not improve adherence or persistence to therapy compared with nurse-monitoring alone . Adherence at 1 yr was correlated with percent change in hip ( BMD ) ( r = 0.28 ; P = 0.01 ) and percent change in uNTX ( r = -0.36 ; P = 0.002 ) . In conclusion , monitoring of patients increased adherence to therapy by 57 % at 1 yr . Increased adherence to therapy increased the effectiveness of raloxifene therapy determined using surrogate end points This r and omized controlled trial was design ed to investigate the effect of a 6-month home-based exercise program versus control ( usual activities ) on quality of life for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who had at least one vertebral fracture . Twelve-month assessment s of outcomes were completed to determine if women would continue exercising with minimal supervision and if benefit could be sustained . The home exercise program followed a " lifestyle exercise " approach where participants completed exercises 60 min per day , 3 days a week and could complete exercises in small periods of time throughout the day . Exercise activities included stretching , strength training and aerobics ( i.e. walking ) . Participants were assessed at baseline , 6 months , and 12 months using the Osteoporosis Quality of Life Question naire ( OQLQ ) , the Sickness Impact Profile ( SIP ) , a balance test , and the Timed Up And Go test . Bone mineral density was assessed at baseline and 12 months for both the lumbar spine and femoral neck . Quality of life ( OQLQ ) improved over 6 months in the exercise group compared to the control group in the domains of symptoms ( P=0.003 ) , emotion ( P=0.01 ) and leisure ( P=0.03 ) . Results from the balance test indicated a greater effect in the exercise group over 12 months ( P<0.05 ) . There were no significant differences between groups in measures of Timed Up and Go , SIP at 6 and 12 months , and femoral neck and lumbar spine bone mineral density at 12 months . Home-based exercise with minimal supervision improves quality of life in elderly women with vertebral fractures . Future research is needed to determine if home exercise programs reduce falls and fall-related injuries in the elderly Objective —To test the efficacy of a community based 10 week exercise intervention to reduce fall risk factors in women with osteoporosis . Methods —Static balance was measured by computerised dynamic posturography ( Equitest ) , dynamic balance by timed figure of eight run , and knee extension strength by dynamometry . Subjects were r and omised to exercise intervention ( twice weekly Osteofit classes for 10 weeks ) or control groups . Results —The outcome in 79 participants ( 39 exercise , 40 control ) who were available for measurement 10 weeks after baseline measurement is reported . After confounding factors had been controlled for , the exercise group did not make significant gains compared with their control counterparts , although there were consistent trends toward greater improvement in all three primary outcome measures . Relative to the change in control subjects , the exercise group improved by 2.3 % in static balance , 1.9 % in dynamic balance , and 13.9 % in knee extension strength . Conclusions —A 10 week community based physical activity intervention did not significantly reduce fall risk factors in women with osteoporosis . However , trends toward improvement in key independent risk factors for falling suggest that a study with greater power may show that these variables can be improved to a level that reaches statistical significance OBJECTIVES To assess the effectiveness of a community-based falls- and -fracture nurse coordinator and multifactorial intervention in reducing  falls in older people . DESIGN R and omized , controlled trial . SETTING Screening for previous falls in family practice followed by community-based intervention . PARTICIPANTS Three hundred twelve community-living people aged 75 and older who had fallen in the previous year . INTERVENTION Home-based nurse assessment of falls- and -fracture risk factors and home hazards , referral to appropriate community interventions , and strength and balance exercise program . Control group received usual care and social visits . MEASUREMENTS Primary outcome was rate of falls over 12 months . Secondary outcomes were muscle strength and balance , falls efficacy , activities of daily living , self-reported physical activity level , and quality of life ( Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Question naire ) . RESULTS Of the 3,434 older adults screened for falls , 312 ( 9 % ) from 19 family practice s were enrolled and r and omized . The average age was 81+/-5 , and 69 % ( 215/312 ) were women . The incidence rate ratio for falls for the intervention group compared with the control group was 0.96 ( 95 % confidence interval=0.70 - 1.34 ) . There were no significant differences in secondary outcomes between the two groups . CONCLUSION This nurse-led intervention was not effective in reducing  falls in older people who had fallen previously . Implementation and adherence to the fall-prevention measures was dependent on referral to other health professionals working in their usual clinical practice . This may have limited the effectiveness of the interventions PURPOSE The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if tailored nursing interventions based on personal knowledge of bone mineral density from a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry cause increases in knowledge of osteoporosis , health beliefs , or osteoporosis-prevention behaviors in postmenopausal women 50–65 years of age , 6 months after the intervention . METHOD The design for this pilot study was a two group quasi-experimental design . The treatment group received a tailored intervention ; the control group did not . Outcome data were gathered at 6 months after dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry . The tailored intervention was design ed and given to each woman via telephone using her dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry results and osteoporosis question naire data that addressed her knowledge of osteoporosis and osteoporosis-prevention behaviors of calcium intake , exercise , smoking , and alcohol use . A written mailed copy of the intervention followed the telephone interview . Six months after the intervention , the women were mailed another osteoporosis question naire to determine if the tailored intervention made a difference in the outcome variables . SAMPLE A total 124 women between the ages of 50 and 65 ( 101 control , 23 treatment ) comprised the sample . RESULTS There was no difference in knowledge between groups . On the average , there were significantly more perceived barriers to calcium in the tailored group ( mean = 13.48 ) than in the nontailored group ( mean = 11.55 ) ( t = 2.147 ; df = 122 ; p = .034 ) . There were significantly more perceived barriers to exercise in the tailored group ( mean = 14.39 ) than in the nontailored group ( mean = 12.21 ) ( t = .144 ; df = 122 ; p = .034 ) . Daily calcium intake increased in both the tailored and the nontailored groups . The tailored intervention increased women 's daily calcium intake from 614.28 to 1039.10 mg ( t = −2.896 ; df = 22 ; p = .008 ) . The nontailored group daily calcium intake increased from 587.91 to 916.30 mg ( t = −3.541 ; df = 100 ; p = .001 ) ; there was no significant difference between the groups . Weight-bearing exercise behaviors decreased from 96.04 minutes to 59.2 minutes in the tailored group but increased slightly in the nontailored group from 81.47 to 87.26 minutes of exercise . CONCLUSION Tailored interventions  increased women 's perceived barriers to calcium and exercise . Both groups increased calcium intake . The mixed findings of increased perception of barriers to calcium and exercise and decreased exercise behaviors indicate the need for further study . This important intervention has implication s for orthopaedic nurses and healthcare professionals involved in health promotion and prevention of osteoporosis Background : Older patients who experience a fragility fracture are at high risk of future fractures but are rarely tested or treated for osteoporosis . We developed a multifaceted intervention directed at older patients with wrist fractures ( in the form of telephone-based education )  and their physicians ( in the form of guidelines endorsed by opinion leaders , supported by reminders ) to improve the quality of osteoporosis care . Methods : In a r and omized controlled trial with blinded ascertainment of outcomes , we compared our intervention with usual care ( provision of printed educational material s to patients ) .  Eligible patients were those older than 50 years of age who had experienced a wrist fracture and were seen in emergency departments and fracture clinics ; we excluded those who were already being treated for osteoporosis . The primary outcome was  bisphosphonate treatment within 6 months after the fracture . Secondary outcomes included bone mineral density testing , “ appropriate care ” ( consisting of bone mineral density testing with treatment if bone mass was low ) and quality of life . Results : We screened 795 patients for eligibility and r and omly assigned 272 to the intervention ( 137 patients ) or control ( 135 patients ) group . The median age was 60 years ; 210 ( 77 % ) of the subjects were women , and 130 ( 48 % ) reported a previous fracture as an adult . Six months after the fracture , 30 ( 22 % ) of the intervention patients , as compared with 10 ( 7 % ) of the control patients , were receiving  bisphosphonate therapy  for osteoporosis ( adjusted relative risk [ RR ] 2.6 , 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] 1.3–5.1 , p = 0.008 ) . Intervention patients were more likely than control patients to undergo bone mineral density testing ( 71/137 [ 52 % ] v. 24/135 [ 18 % ] ; adjusted RR 2.8 , 95 % CI 1.9–4.2 , p < 0.001 ) and to receive appropriate care ( 52/137 [ 38 % ] v. 15/135 [ 11 % ] ; adjusted RR 3.1 , 95 % CI 1.8–5.3 , p < 0.001 ) . There were no differences between the groups in other outcomes . One patient died , and 4 others experienced recurrent fracture . Interpretation : A multifaceted intervention directed at high-risk patients and their physicians substantially increased rates of testing and treatment for osteoporosis . Nevertheless , more than half of the patients in the intervention group were not receiving appropriate care 6 months after their fracture , which suggests that additional strategies should be explored . ( Clinical Trials.gov trial register no. NCT00152321 . OBJECTIVE To evaluate the potential benefits of programmed Tai Chi Chun ( TCC ) exercise on the weight-bearing bones of early postmenopausal women . DESIGN Age-matched and r and omized prospect i ve intervention . SETTING University medical school . PARTICIPANTS One hundred thirty-two healthy postmenopausal women ( mean age , 54.0+/-3.5y ) within 10 years of menopause onset were recruited and r and omized into the  TCC exercise group ( n=67 ) or the sedentary control group ( n=65 ) . INTERVENTION Supervised TCC exercise was performed by the TCC group for 45 minutes a day , 5 days a week , for 12 months ; control subjects retained a sedentary life style . Main outcome measures Bone mineral density ( BMD ) was measured in the lumbar spine and proximal femur by using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and in the distal tibia by using multislice peripheral quantitative computed tomography ( pQCT ) . All BMD measurements were repeated after 12 months in both groups . Fracture rate was also documented . RESULTS Baseline measurements showed homogeneity in age , anthropometric variables , and menstruation status between the TCC and control groups . Exactly 81.6 % of the subjects in the TCC group and 83.1 % of subjects in the control group completed the 12-month follow-up study . BMD measurements revealed a general bone loss in both TCC and sedentary control subjects at all measured skeletal sites , but with a reportedly slower rate in the TCC group . A significant 2.6- to 3.6-fold retardation of bone loss ( P<.01 ) was found in both trabecular and cortical compartments of the distal tibia in the TCC group as compared with the controls , as measured by pQCT . A total of 4 fracture cases were documented during follow-up , including 3 subjects in the control group and 1 in the TCC group . CONCLUSIONS This is the first prospect i ve and r and omized study to show that a programmed TCC exercise intervention is beneficial for retarding bone loss in weight-bearing bones in early postmenopausal women . Long-term follow-up is needed to substantiate the role of TCC exercise in the prevention of osteoporosis and its related fracture BACKGROUND Patients who survive hip fracture are at high risk of recurrent fractures , but rates of osteoporosis treatment 1 year after sustaining a fracture are less than 10 % to 20 % . We have developed an osteoporosis case manager intervention . The case manager educated patients , arranged bone mineral density tests , provided prescriptions , and communicated with primary care physicians . The intervention was compared with usual care in a r and omized controlled trial . METHODS We recruited from all hospitals that participate in the Capital Health system ( Alberta , Canada ) , including patients 50 years or older who had sustained a hip fracture and excluding those who were receiving osteoporosis treatment or who lived in a long-term care facility . Primary outcome was  bisphosphonate therapy 6 months after fracture ; secondary outcomes included bone mineral density testing , appropriate care ( bone mineral density testing and treatment if bone mass was low ) , and intervention costs . RESULTS We screened 2219 patients and allocated 220 , as follows : 110 to the intervention group and 110 to the control group . Median age was 74 years , 60 % were women , and 37 % reported having had previous fractures . Six months after hip fracture , 56 patients in the intervention group ( 51 % ) were receiving bisphosphonate therapy compared with 24 patients in the control group ( 22 % ) ( adjusted odds ratio , 4.7 ; 95 % confidence interval , 2.4 - 8.9 ; P < .001 ) . Bone mineral density tests were performed in 88 patients in the intervention group ( 80 % ) vs 32 patients in the control group ( 29 % ) ( P < .001 ) . Of the 120 patients who underwent bone mineral density testing , 25 ( 21 % ) had normal bone mass . Patients in the intervention group were more likely to receive appropriate care than were patients in the control group ( 67 % vs 26 % ; P < .001 ) . The average intervention cost was $ 50.00 per patient . CONCLUSION For a modest cost , a case manager was able to substantially increase rates of osteoporosis treatment in a vulnerable elderly population at high risk of future fractures
target: Collectively , these studies provided some evidence to show that interventions by healthcare professionals improved the QOL medication compliance and calcium intake of patients but its effects on BMD , medication persistence , knowledge , and other lifestyle modifications were less conclusive .
background: Summary A systematic review was conducted to evaluate evidence concerning the effect of non-drug interventions by healthcare professionals on community-dwelling postmenopausal osteoporotic women .
  Evidence available indicates that such interventions are effective in improving the quality of life , medication compliance , and calcium intake , but effect on other outcomes is less conclusive .
  Introduction The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic review to evaluate evidence concerning the effect of non-drug interventions by healthcare professionals on community-dwelling postmenopausal osteoporotic women .