A meta-analysis of 129 trials in postmenopausal women found aerobic, resistance and combined training increased cardiorespiratory fitness and lower-body strength, while only resistance training increased upper-body strength.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 7,141 participants pooled · 2023PostmenopausalCited 23 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.
Mixed resultsSystematic review · 2,646 participants pooled · 2004Early postmenopausalCited 219 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 12 trials found resistance training in postmenopausal women improved functional capacity, bone density, and reduced hot flash frequency and fat mass versus no exercise.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 452 participants pooled · 16 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 16 studies found circuit resistance training improved strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and body composition in middle-aged and older women compared with controls.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2022Midlife womenCited 11 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 12 RCTs found resistance training significantly improved maximal oxygen uptake and upper and lower body strength in healthy postmenopausal women, with less clear effects on bone density.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2024PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 17 RCTs in postmenopausal women with sarcopenia found exercise interventions improved muscle mass, strength and physical function such as gait speed.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 744 participants pooled · 2026PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 10 trials found chair-based exercise improved muscle endurance, flexibility and dynamic balance in postmenopausal women, but not handgrip strength or static balance.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 509 participants pooled · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 19 studies found resistance training combined with vitamin D supplementation had a positive effect on body composition and physical activity capacity in middle-aged women with sarcopenia.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2021Midlife womenCited 6 timesPubMed
A review of 7 studies in adults over 50, including postmenopausal women, found combined tai chi and resistance training improved muscle strength, aerobic endurance, balance, and mobility after long term training.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 703 participants pooled · 2020Midlife womenCited 17 timesPubMed
A review of 38 studies in women aged 45 to 80 found resistance training sessions over about 15 weeks improved muscle mass, strength, and functional fitness.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2,519 participants pooled · 15 weeks · 2021Midlife womenCited 12 timesPubMed
A review of 13 studies in postmenopausal women found combined aerobic and resistance exercise, and aerobic exercise alone, improved cardiorespiratory fitness and arterial stiffness, particularly pulse wave velocity.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 700 participants pooled · 2024PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
In 100 frail nursing home residents, a high intensity strength training program increased strength and spontaneous activity compared with sedentary controls, who showed no change.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 100 women · 1999PostmenopausalCited 136 timesPubMed
Women with breast cancer on chemotherapy did 6 months of aerobic or resistance exercise; aerobic exercise better preserved bone density and both improved fitness and strength versus usual care.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 66 women · 26 weeks · 2007Midlife womenCited 117 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with mild knee osteoarthritis did 4 months of intensive aquatic resistance training and showed decreased fat mass and faster walking speed, with walking speed gains maintained at 12 months.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 87 women · 16 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 72 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women with mild knee osteoarthritis, 16 weeks of aquatic resistance training changed cartilage composition on MRI and improved cardiorespiratory fitness by 9.8% compared with controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 87 women · 16 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 58 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with low bone mass did 8 months of twice weekly high intensity resistance training with impact loading and showed improved hip and spine bone density and function versus a low intensity home program.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 32 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 72 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women aged 55 to 75 did 3 months of resistance training, caloric restriction, both or neither, and resistance training alone improved physical capacity scores more than the other groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 48 women · 12 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 70 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of aquatic resistance exercise or elastic band training, both reducing body fat and blood pressure and improving strength and fitness tests similarly.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 46 women · 24 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 69 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with low bone mass did 8 months of high-intensity resistance and impact training or low-intensity Pilates-based training; the high-intensity program increased spine bone density and muscle strength more.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 115 women · 35 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with bone loss did 24 weeks of strength or circuit training; both groups gained muscle strength and fitness but bone density did not change.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 24 weeks · 2008PostmenopausalCited 61 timesPubMed
In 33 postmenopausal women over 12 weeks, both low-intensity resistance training and whole-body vibration improved blood vessel function and leg strength, while resistance training also improved gait speed.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 33 women · 12 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 42 timesPubMed
Patients with knee osteoarthritis, including postmenopausal women, did 6 weeks of isokinetic or aerobic exercise and reported less pain and more muscle strength, with no significant drop in inflammatory markers.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 42 women · 6 weeks · 2015Midlife womenCited 39 timesPubMed
Twenty nine postmenopausal breast cancer survivors did 15 weeks of combined walking and resistance training, and the exercise group showed improved fitness, blood pressure, weight, insulin, glucose and cholesterol measures.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 29 women · 15 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 45 timesPubMed
Overweight or obese postmenopausal women did combined HIIT and resistance training three times weekly for 12 weeks, and researchers found reduced abdominal fat and increased muscle mass and fitness versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 17 women · 12 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 39 timesPubMed
Over 14 weeks, postmenopausal women doing circuit resistance training with energy-restricted diets and calcium or vitamin D supplements showed improved strength, aerobic capacity and varying body composition changes by diet and supplement combination.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 128 women · 14 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with impaired glucose tolerance did 12 weeks of eccentric knee resistance training, gaining leg lean mass, strength and walk distance, with insulin sensitivity unchanged.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 16 women · 12 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 34 timesPubMed
Over 12 weeks, 50 midlife women doing aerobic exercise improved peak oxygen uptake by 18%, while a strength training group showed no fitness change; lipid changes were similar between groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 50 women · 12 weeks · 1991Midlife womenCited 41 timesPubMed
In 38 dynapenic-obese postmenopausal women over 12 weeks, resistance training improved physical capacity while caloric restriction with or without resistance training improved body composition and metabolic markers.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 38 women · 12 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 26 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal and elderly women did 12 weeks of traditional or cluster-set resistance training; both methods similarly improved strength, power and functional performance.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 66 women · 12 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 19 timesPubMed
Untrained women aged 40 to 65 did 21 weeks of endurance, strength, or combined training; endurance training increased heart rate complexity during exercise but combined or strength training did not.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 90 women · 21 weeks · 2013Midlife womenCited 21 timesPubMed
Breast cancer patients did 16 weeks of resistance plus HIIT or aerobic plus HIIT during chemotherapy; at 5 years fatigue did not differ from usual care, but gluteal pain sensitivity was reduced with resistance HIIT.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 240 women · 16 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 13 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of resistance training improved blood pressure, estimated peak VO2 and total cholesterol compared with controls, with no change in homocysteine.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 45 women · 12 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed
In 244 women aged 45 to 65 doing a 4-month resistance exercise program, adding a fortified milk drink gave extra gains in lean mass, bone content and balance but not in muscle strength versus exercise with placebo.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 216 women · 16 weeks · 2020Midlife womenCited 14 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 with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture did a 6-month weighted vest and balance exercise programme, showing no significant difference from education alone in strength, bone density, balance or quality of life.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 80 women · 26 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 17 timesPubMed
Healthy postmenopausal elderly women who did 12 weeks of elastic-band resistance training showed increased leg blood flow and improved functional ability tests compared to controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 16 women · 12 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed
Women aged 45 to 60 did a 12-week leg exercise program on a vibrating or non-vibrating platform, and vibration did not improve leg strength or power more than exercise alone.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 39 women · 12 weeks · 2013Midlife womenCited 16 timesPubMed
Over 10 weeks, sedentary postmenopausal women doing aerobic and strength training with or without whole-body electrostimulation improved strength, agility and speed, with added cardiovascular benefit from electrostimulation.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 34 women · 10 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
Untrained women aged 45 to 55 did 3 months of endurance or strength training, improving fitness or strength, but knee cartilage thickness and volume on MRI did not change.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 38 women · 12 weeks · 2010Midlife womenCited 15 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of higher or lower volume resistance training; both improved exercise tolerance and strength similarly despite the higher-volume group gaining more muscle mass.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 58 women · 12 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women did 8 weeks of whole body vibration, circuit resistance, or aerobic training, with vibration showing no body composition benefit and a strength decrease versus other methods.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 8 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 28 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 16 weeks of low or high volume resistance training; high-volume training improved fast walking speed and waist measures more than low-volume, while strength gains were similar between groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 33 women · 16 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
Middle-aged women did 12 weeks of resistance training or walking three times weekly, and resistance training improved body image more than walking.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 60 women · 12 weeks · 1993Midlife womenCited 19 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 10 weeks of resistance training with normal or higher protein intake; higher protein gave a small added gain in walking speed but not strength or lean mass quality.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 47 women · 10 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
In 58 women within 5 years of menopause, 3 months of twice-weekly muscle strengthening exercise increased leg muscle strength but did not improve 6-minute walk distance, heart rate, or blood pressure.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 58 women · 12 weeks · 2012Early postmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 8 weeks of resistance training 3 times weekly, and both protein timing groups gained lean mass, strength, and walking performance with no difference between groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 34 women · 8 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
After 12 weeks of resistance training, healthy postmenopausal women and postmenopausal breast cancer survivors both gained muscle thickness, strength, and physical performance, with no differences between groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 24 women · 12 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
In middle-aged breast cancer survivors, resistance training increased strength and power and improved walking speed, with strength and power gains explaining the improvement.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 21 women · 2024Midlife womenCited 8 timesPubMed
In healthy older women, 8 weeks of resistance training combined with fish oil increased handgrip strength and lowered blood pressure and inflammatory markers more than resistance training with placebo.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 20 women · 8 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
Twenty-six obese middle-aged women with prehypertension did 6 weeks of resistance plus moderate or high-intensity aerobic training; both groups improved body composition, blood pressure, and fitness, with resistance plus HIIT improving lipids more.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 6 weeks · 2025Midlife womenCited 6 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of resistance training with different load-order schemes and both approaches improved strength, sit-to-stand power and walking speed similarly.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 24 women · 24 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
Pre and postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of aerobic exercise or strength and flexibility training, and researchers found only partial support that aerobic exercise reduced stress reactivity.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 50 women · 12 weeks · 1991Midlife womenCited 11 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did lower-load or higher-load resistance training; lower-load training gave slightly greater leg lean mass gains, with similar strength and inflammatory marker changes.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 29 women · 2022PostmenopausalCited 4 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 women aged 40-60, 12 weeks of strength training with or without fortified milk improved muscle mass, strength and physical function after a prior inactivity period, regardless of menopause status.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 83 women · 12 weeks · 2025Midlife womenCited 1 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteopenia did strength training twice weekly for 6 months and showed no bone loss in the spine and femoral neck, unlike controls who lost significant bone density, while strength rose sharply.
Direction not statedControlled trial · 31 women · 26 weeks · 1996PostmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors who did 15 weeks of combined walking and resistance training improved aerobic capacity, resting heart rate, body weight and BMI, with no change in blood pressure.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 29 women · 15 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 25 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal obese women, aerobic and resistance exercise both reduced weight, body fat and waist circumference and increased maximum oxygen uptake and knee muscle strength, with no change in estrogen.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 30 women · 2018PostmenopausalCited 20 timesPubMed
A 6-month adapted exercise program in 44 postmenopausal women with vertebral fractures improved quality of life, fear of falling, balance, gait, and functional exercise capacity compared with controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 44 women · 26 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
In 40 postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of whole-body resistance training at either lower or higher load improved adiponectin, body fat, muscle strength and walking performance similarly.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 40 women · 12 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 15 timesPubMed
Forty-nine postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of resistance training at self-selected or imposed intensity; both groups improved strength, muscle mass and physical performance with no difference between them.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 49 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed
Perimenopausal women aged 45 to 55 did 12 weeks of strength or endurance training; strength training improved muscle strength and quality, while endurance training raised aerobic fitness by 28%.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 42 women · 12 weeks · 2009PerimenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
12 postmenopausal women did single sessions of heavy or light-load resistance exercise, both of which acutely improved glucose tolerance compared with no exercise, with no difference between loads.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 12 women · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed
In 40 postmenopausal women, 24 weeks of walking and strength training combined with dieting increased muscle strength, while bone density and VO2max did not change.
No difference foundControlled trial · 40 women · 24 weeks · 1997PostmenopausalCited 14 timesPubMed
Overweight middle-aged women did 16 weeks of either strength or aerobic training; strength training decreased waist circumference more and raised resting metabolic rate, while weight loss and fitness gains were similar between groups.
No difference foundControlled trial · 29 women · 16 weeks · 2015Midlife womenCited 8 timesPubMed
Middle-aged female recreational runners following high-intensity interval or moderate-intensity continuous training both improved half-marathon finishing times by 2 to 3 percent.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 20 women · 2020Midlife womenCited 5 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with obesity who did 4 months of resistance training saw decreased body fat and increased strength and fitness, with smaller effects on cholesterol and no change in blood sugar control.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 51 women · 16 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of strength training or hydro gymnastics, with both groups showing improved cardiorespiratory fitness and strength training also reducing body mass index.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 38 women · 24 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 3 timesPubMed
In 35 pre and postmenopausal women with higher body fat, 12 weeks of resistance training lowered body fat in premenopausal women and improved grip strength and other fitness measures in both groups.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 35 women · 12 weeks · 2019Midlife womenCited 19 timesPubMed
A case study of a 71-year-old woman who began resistance training at 63 reported greater muscle mass, strength, bone density and fitness than age-matched postmenopausal controls.
Direction not statedBefore-and-after study · 1 women · 2024PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
In 378 postmenopausal women across four intervention studies including hormones, exercise and nutrition, those classified as weak gained more grip strength and physical performance over six months.
Reported an improvementOther · 378 women · 26 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 40 timesPubMed
A 12 week resistance training program in 24 postmenopausal women, healthy or breast cancer survivors, improved 6-minute walk distance and work efficiency similarly in both groups.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 24 women · 12 weeks · 2026Early postmenopausalCited 3 timesPubMed
A review of exercise training in hypertensive postmenopausal women reported that aerobic and resistance exercise were linked to improved blood pressure, lipid profiles and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Reported an improvementOther · 2018PostmenopausalCited 56 timesPubMed
Eleven postmenopausal breast cancer survivors did 12 weeks of resistance training and increased six-minute walk distance and work performed, with lower submaximal oxygen use late in the test.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 11 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed
A pilot RCT protocol will test a 9-month high-intensity resistance and impact training program in 40 perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women, assessing feasibility and bone, muscle and function measures.
Direction not statedOther · 40 women · 36 weeks · 2025PerimenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
This review reported that perimenopausal and postmenopausal women benefit from endurance and strength exercise, improving fitness, bone health, and quality of life.
Reported an improvementOther · 2000Midlife womenCited 10 timesPubMed
This protocol describes a planned 12-week resistance training trial comparing set configurations in postmenopausal women, with cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes but no results yet reported.
Direction not statedOther · 40 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed