Does stretching affect fitness in menopause? What 9 studies found

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

Overweight postmenopausal women did aerobic exercise five days a week for a year, gaining fitness and losing weight, with oxidative stress markers decreasing most in those with the largest fitness gains.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 173 women · 52 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 88 timesPubMed

In 173 sedentary, overweight postmenopausal women, a year of moderate-intensity exercise or stretching was associated with improved self-reported sleep quality, with effects depending on exercise timing and amount.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 173 women · 52 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 101 timesPubMed

Postmenopausal women with low bone mass did weight-bearing exercise, aerobic dancing and flexibility work three times weekly for 12 months, and spinal bone density stabilized versus decline in controls, with improved fitness and wellbeing.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 124 women · 52 weeks · 1996PostmenopausalCited 104 timesPubMed

Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors did 16 weeks of supervised exercise with two different dosing schedules and showed modest improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness compared to a stretching control group.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 174 women · 16 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 53 timesPubMed

Menopausal women aged 45 to 59 practiced Rusie Dutton traditional Thai exercise for 13 weeks and showed significant improvements in fitness, flexibility, blood pressure and quality of life versus controls.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 50 women · 13 weeks · 2014Midlife womenCited 20 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

Breast cancer survivors, including postmenopausal women, did 12 weeks of combined treadmill and stretching exercise, which improved resting blood pressure and oxygen saturation compared to controls.

Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 48 women · 12 weeks · 2015Midlife womenCited 4 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