Does balance and functional training affect joint pain in menopause? What 14 studies found

A meta-analysis of 23 trials in people with osteoporosis, 95 percent female with an average age of 67, found exercise such as resistance training, balance training and Pilates improved mental health, quality of life and pain.

Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2,120 participants pooled · 19 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed

Postmenopausal women with hip pain did a 12 week targeted gluteal loading exercise program or sham exercise, with no overall difference between groups in pain and function at 52 weeks.

No difference foundRandomised trial · 94 women · 52 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 51 timesPubMed

Postmenopausal women with osteoporotic spinal fractures did 10 weeks of balance and strength physiotherapy training, reporting less pain, improved quality of life, and improved muscle strength.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 53 women · 10 weeks · 1998PostmenopausalCited 91 timesPubMed

Postmenopausal women who practiced a modified Eight-Section Brocade exercise for 12 months, with or without calcium, had increased bone density, less back pain and better balance than controls.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 198 women · 52 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 36 timesPubMed

Sedentary postmenopausal women with back problems did four years of therapeutic exercise, and compliant participants showed slowed bone loss and fewer back complaints than controls.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 92 women · 208 weeks · 1996PostmenopausalCited 35 timesPubMed

Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis did 10 months of land or aquatic exercise; land exercise improved muscle strength, flexibility, gait time, pain and bone density more than aquatic exercise.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 58 women · 43 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed

Sedentary women with osteoporosis did a 6 month self-management and activity program, which improved pain, quality of life, balance and function versus control.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 50 women · 26 weeks · 2007PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed

In 42 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis-related kyphosis, adding kinesiotaping to an exercise program reduced pain but did not improve kyphosis angle or balance more than exercise alone.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 42 women · 6 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 11 timesPubMed

Peri and postmenopausal Nigerian women did a 12 week endurance exercise circuit, which improved quality of life and reduced back pain compared with no change in controls.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 175 women · 12 weeks · 2011Midlife womenCited 7 timesPubMed

In postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, 12 weeks of balance and coordination training improved balance, while strengthening exercise improved pain, and no falls occurred during follow-up.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 12 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 15 timesPubMed

Thirty-four middle-aged women with knee pain did 12 weeks of rehabilitative exercise scheduled in massed or distributed sessions, and both improved balance, functional performance and pain versus control.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 34 women · 12 weeks · 2023Midlife womenCited 3 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

An RCT of 51 middle-aged women with chronic low back pain found core stability and postural control training both reduced pain and disability, with postural training also improving proprioception.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 51 women · 2026Midlife womenPubMed

Over six weeks, postmenopausal obese women doing aquatic resistance, balance and proprioceptive training showed greater improvements in strength, balance and ankle-foot alignment than land-based exercise.

Reported an improvementControlled trial · 143 women · 6 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed