Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors did a 1 year resistance plus impact program versus stretching; the resistance group showed significantly greater gains in leg and bench press strength.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 106 women · 52 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 142 timesPubMed
In 120 postmenopausal breast cancer survivors with bone loss doing a 24-month strength training programme, average adherence was 62%, and more frequent feedback predicted higher adherence.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 120 women · 104 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 32 timesPubMed
Among 137 overweight postmenopausal women in a 6-month diet or diet-plus-resistance-training program, 22% dropped out, with less weight loss and fewer fruit servings than completers.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 137 women · 26 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 23 timesPubMed
Women recently through menopause did brisk walking with resistance training for 15 weeks and improved leg strength and walking time, but not balance, with 92% adherence.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 134 women · 15 weeks · 2006Early postmenopausalCited 20 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did daily psoas muscle resistance exercises for 3 years, and researchers found less lumbar bone loss than in women who did not train.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 35 women · 156 weeks · 1997PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors with bone loss doing strength or weight training exercise completed a new barriers and motivators questionnaire, identifying four factors linked to exercise adherence.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 65 women · 2009PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
In 442 older postmenopausal cancer survivors randomized to strength training, tai ji quan or stretching for 6 months, 87% retention was reported, with poorer baseline health linked to lower adherence.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 442 women · 26 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with low bone mass who completed a 12-month bone-loading exercise program averaged 58.9% adherence, with lack of time cited as the main barrier.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 72 women · 52 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
Sixty five postmenopausal women with low activity did a 15 week supervised resistance training program; both intervention and control groups significantly increased and sustained physical activity levels over 2 years.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 65 women · 104 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
Healthy postmenopausal women did 30 weeks of ballistic or conventional resistance training, and both were well accepted with no serious adverse events and similar perceived benefits.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 109 women · 30 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed
Previously sedentary postmenopausal women did a 24 week supervised resistance training programme, and researchers found social contact and routine were the main reasons 76.5% kept attending.
Direction not statedCohort study · 34 women · 24 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 14 timesPubMed
A 5 year survey of 216 menopausal women at cardiovascular risk found self-reported aerobic exercise changed similarly regardless of baseline weight, with low participation in strength training throughout.
No difference foundCohort study · 216 women · 260 weeks · 2016Midlife womenCited 2 timesPubMed
In 21 postmenopausal breast cancer survivors, a 12-month program of home strength training plus alendronate, calcium and vitamin D improved balance, muscle strength and spine and hip bone density.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 21 women · 52 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 30 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitors self-reported leisure, strength, and walking activity; about half met activity guidelines, and activity level was not linked to quality of life scores.
Direction not statedCross-sectional study · 170 women · 2021PostmenopausalCited 11 timesPubMed
In 100 postmenopausal women surveyed, 81% reported doing weight-bearing or resistance exercise but irregularly, and hormone therapy users reported greater exercise participation than nonusers.
Mixed resultsCross-sectional study · 100 women · 1995PostmenopausalCited 20 timesPubMed
Twenty-three breast cancer survivors at risk for osteoporosis did home-based strength/weight training for 6 months and showed high adherence and increased self-efficacy.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 23 women · 26 weeks · 2004PostmenopausalCited 17 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteopenia did a 6-month weighted-vest and education program, with high adherence and improved quadriceps strength and hip bone density.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 42 women · 26 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
A survey of 739 Canadian women aged 40 to 60 found most peri and postmenopausal women were interested in resistance and high-intensity impact training for bone health and menopause symptoms.
Direction not statedCross-sectional study · 739 women · 2025Midlife womenCited 1 timesPubMed
Fifteen low-active postmenopausal women did 15 weeks of resistance training and reported improved well-being and most experienced fewer vasomotor symptoms.
Reported an improvementOther · 15 women · 15 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
A smartphone app combining aerobic, strength and pelvic floor exercise was tested with 16 working midlife women and found low effort to use, but perceived effectiveness was rated low.
Mixed resultsOther · 16 women · 2026Midlife womenCited 1 timesPubMed
A pilot trial protocol will test whether splitting strength exercises into small daily snacks versus one session improves 12-week adherence in perimenopausal women; results are not yet available.
Direction not statedOther · 90 women · 24 weeks · 2026PerimenopausalPubMed
Interviews with 26 postmenopausal breast and gynecologic cancer survivors found they preferred flexible, at-home physical activity like walking, dancing and muscle-strengthening during and after treatment.
Direction not statedOther · 26 women · 2024PostmenopausalPubMed