A review of 43 trials in postmenopausal women found exercise, especially resistance training and combined programmes, produced a small but statistically significant increase in bone density versus no exercise.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 4,320 participants pooled · 2011PostmenopausalCited 400 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 11 randomized trials found combined exercise programs significantly increased bone density at the spine, hip, and total body in postmenopausal women.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,061 participants pooled · 2017PostmenopausalCited 73 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 16 trials in older postmenopausal women found whole-body vibration raised lumbar spine bone density while aerobic exercise lowered it, with no overall effect on femoral neck density.
Mixed resultsMeta-analysis · 1,624 participants pooled · 2020PostmenopausalCited 43 timesPubMed
A network meta-analysis of 49 trials in postmenopausal women found combined aerobic plus resistance training produced the largest bone density gains, followed by aerobic exercise and resistance training alone.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 3,360 participants pooled · 2025PostmenopausalCited 20 timesPubMed
In this meta-analysis of controlled trials lasting at least 6 months, postmenopausal women doing weight-bearing, resistance, or mixed exercise showed improved bone density at the spine, hip and femoral neck.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 24 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 94 timesPubMed
A review of 28 randomised trials in postmenopausal women aged 50 to 65 found walking combined with resistance training could preserve weight and bone density and increase muscle strength.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2,646 participants pooled · 2004Early postmenopausalCited 219 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 19 trials in postmenopausal women found adding exercise to medicine or supplements improved lumbar spine bone density, leg muscle strength, balance, and quality of life.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,249 participants pooled · 2024PostmenopausalCited 13 timesPubMed
A systematic review of 59 trials found strength training and multi-component or vibration exercise programs helped maintain or increase bone mass in older adults, especially postmenopausal women.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2012PostmenopausalCited 205 timesPubMed
A network meta-analysis of 55 trials in postmenopausal women found multicomponent and mind-body training ranked highest for improving bone density at various sites.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 3,453 participants pooled · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 40 studies with 2,230 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 60 found aerobic, resistance and combined training all significantly improved bone mineral density at the spine, hip and other sites.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2,230 participants pooled · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
A review found that 12 to 16 weeks of recreational football training in women aged 18 to 65 improved aerobic fitness, blood pressure, fat loss, lipid profile and bone mineralisation.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2018Midlife womenCited 45 timesPubMed
A systematic review of 15 studies found that multicomponent training combining resistance, weight-bearing and impact exercise could increase or preserve muscle and bone mass in postmenopausal women.
Mixed resultsSystematic review · 2018PostmenopausalCited 35 timesPubMed
In 151 postmenopausal women over 18 months, a combined exercise program increased lumbar spine bone density, and adding whole body vibration lowered the number of falls but not bone density further.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 151 women · 78 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 101 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women on a 12 week calorie restricted diet with added aerobic and resistance exercise lost more fat and preserved lean mass compared to diet alone.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 118 women · 12 weeks · 1993PostmenopausalCited 155 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women taking calcium, with or without hormone therapy, who did supervised weight-bearing and resistance exercise three times weekly for a year had greater bone density gains at some sites than non-exercisers.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 320 women · 52 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 91 timesPubMed
Breast cancer survivors did 12 months of step aerobic and circuit training with home jumping, which prevented femoral neck bone loss in premenopausal women but showed no bone benefit in postmenopausal women.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 498 women · 52 weeks · 2012Midlife womenCited 60 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitors did 12 months of combined aerobic and resistance exercise, which increased lean mass and lowered body fat and BMI versus usual care; bone density did not differ.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 121 women · 52 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 67 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did 6 months of resistance and aerobic exercise with or without soy isoflavones; exercise reduced fat mass and increased lean mass, with no added benefit from isoflavones.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 100 women · 26 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 65 timesPubMed
Sedentary perimenopausal women did 18 months of calisthenics or endurance training; endurance training maintained femoral neck bone density versus controls, calisthenics showed no significant effect.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 105 women · 78 weeks · 1998PerimenopausalCited 61 timesPubMed
In 112 postmenopausal women with low bone density and forearm fractures, one year of walking plus strength training increased hip bone density slightly versus a decline in controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 92 women · 52 weeks · 2008PostmenopausalCited 46 timesPubMed
An umbrella review found low intensity jumping improved hip bone density, concurrent training improved spine and hip sites, while aerobic and resistance exercise alone showed inconsistent effects in postmenopausal women.
Mixed resultsSystematic review · 2023PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
In early postmenopausal cancer survivors, 12 months of supervised aerobic resistance exercise versus home-based activity did not significantly differ in bone mineral density outcomes.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 154 women · 52 weeks · 2016Early postmenopausalCited 27 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of whole-body vibration or multicomponent training; both reduced total fat mass and increased knee and ankle strength, with no change in bone density.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 38 women · 24 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 26 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women did a 12 month periodized bone and endurance exercise program and showed less lumbar spine bone loss than a low-intensity wellness control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 85 women · 52 weeks · 2013Early postmenopausalCited 23 timesPubMed
A review of 17 trials in Korean postmenopausal women found combined aerobic and resistance training improved bone density at the spine, hip, and other sites more consistently than either alone.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2016PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of whole body vibration or multi-component training, with both groups showing similar gains in knee and ankle strength and body composition changes.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 38 women · 12 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
Older postmenopausal women aged 73 to 88 did a 12 month weight-bearing exercise program; five years after stopping, bone density and neuromuscular function gains were lost in both exercisers and controls.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 34 women · 260 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 19 timesPubMed
Inactive postmenopausal women did recreational team handball training for 36 weeks and researchers reported improved fitness, knee strength, lumbar spine bone density, and lipid markers.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 45 women · 36 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with low bone density did a 20 week program of aerobic, balance and strength training and researchers found improved bone quality measures and leg strength versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 49 women · 20 weeks · 2008PostmenopausalCited 13 timesPubMed
In early postmenopausal osteopenic women, stopping a high intensity exercise programme for 3 months led to losses in lean mass, strength and power versus continued light exercise, though bone density loss was not significant.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 54 women · 13 weeks · 2021Early postmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
In 151 postmenopausal women over one year, multifunctional training with or without whole-body vibration increased lumbar spine bone density, and vibration training reduced falls versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 151 women · 52 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal osteopenic women did 16 years of supervised and home exercise, and the exercise group reported fewer fractures and less bone density loss than controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 105 women · 832 weeks · 2015Early postmenopausalCited 75 timesPubMed
372 breast cancer patients randomized to a 1-year exercise program or control were followed 10 years, and bone density change did not differ between the exercise and control arms.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 372 women · 260 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did a 12-month exercise and nutrition program then 6 months of voluntary home exercise; most physical benefits were maintained but bone and balance gains were not fully sustained with low exercise frequency.
Reported a worseningRandomised trial · 45 women · 78 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women did 12 months of exercise with or without alendronate; exercise raised muscle power, balance and aerobic capacity but gains faded 15 months after stopping.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 102 women · 65 weeks · 2004Early postmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
Abdominally obese postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of endurance or endurance-strength training, with the combined group showing increased whole-body bone density and both groups improving physical capacity.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 101 women · 12 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 3 timesPubMed
Early-postmenopausal osteopenic women did a 16-year supervised exercise program and showed consistently higher spine and hip bone density than non-exercising controls throughout the period.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 67 women · 832 weeks · 2016Early postmenopausalCited 35 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women with low bone density did a 14 month high-impact, strength and endurance program and had increased lumbar spine bone density, strength and fitness versus controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 100 women · 60 weeks · 2003Early postmenopausalCited 34 timesPubMed
In 60 postmenopausal women, 16 weeks of aerobic or combined aerobic plus strength training improved body composition and metabolic markers, but leg lean mass returned to pre-training levels after 6 months of detraining.
Direction not statedControlled trial · 60 women · 16 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 27 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal osteopenic women followed a 12-year supervised exercise program; bone density loss at spine and hip was significantly smaller than in controls, though fracture risk reduction was not statistically significant.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 85 women · 624 weeks · 2012Early postmenopausalCited 26 timesPubMed
A one-year weight training program added to dance exercise increased muscular strength in middle-aged women but did not significantly increase overall bone mineral density.
No difference foundControlled trial · 54 women · 52 weeks · 1991Midlife womenCited 39 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women did high impact aerobic, jumping and resistance exercise for 50 months, maintaining spine bone density and improving cholesterol, body fat and strength versus non-training controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 68 women · 217 weeks · 2007Early postmenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged 55 to 65 did supervised combined aerobic and weight-bearing exercise three times weekly for 12 weeks and showed favourable changes in bone turnover markers and improved walk and chair-stand performance.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 86 women · 12 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
An 11-month combined weight-bearing and water exercise program in postmenopausal women with low bone density increased hip t-score and preserved bone quality versus non-exercising controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 125 women · 48 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did combined aerobic and anaerobic exercise plus diet for 12 weeks and lost more fat with preserved lean mass versus diet alone.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 118 women · 12 weeks · 1994PostmenopausalPubMed
Twenty-nine postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of alternating aerobic and resistance training, which increased limb bone density and circulating irisin while waist circumference decreased.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 29 women · 24 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
This protocol describes a planned network meta-analysis comparing multicomponent training and high-intensity interval training effects on bone density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.
Direction not statedOther · 2025PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
A 55-year-old postmenopausal breast cancer survivor following a supervised resistance, aerobic and balance program with diet and supplements for 16 months saw bone density rise at the spine and hip.
Reported an improvementOther · 1 women · 70 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed