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
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.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 87 women · 16 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 58 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with vertebral fractures did six months of group exercise and coping classes, improving trunk strength and psychological symptoms versus health education controls, with no change in pain.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 185 women · 26 weeks · 2004PostmenopausalCited 63 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
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
Postmenopausal women with hip tendon pain did targeted exercise with or without hormone therapy for 12 weeks, and tendon specific exercise did not outperform sham exercise, while hormone therapy added benefit in leaner women.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 132 women · 52 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
In 60 postmenopausal women with vertebral fractures, 6 weeks of supervised back-strengthening exercise improved spinal pain, muscle strength, mobility and quality of life more than a home program or control.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 60 women · 6 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 23 timesPubMed
In peri and postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis doing a 3-week quadriceps exercise program, adding shortwave diathermy gave no extra benefit over the exercise program alone.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 113 women · 3 weeks · 2008Midlife womenCited 23 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.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 240 women · 16 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 13 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis did 12 weeks of resistance training with creatine or placebo; creatine group showed greater gains in physical function, lean mass and quality of life.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 12 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 52 timesPubMed
In 28 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia, 12 weeks of home-based trunk strengthening exercise improved spinal mobility, trunk strength, and some quality of life domains versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 12 weeks · 2005PostmenopausalCited 27 timesPubMed
Middle-aged women with fibromyalgia did core strengthening or stretching exercise twice weekly for four weeks; both groups reported improved symptoms, with no significant difference between groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 40 women · 4 weeks · 2021Midlife womenCited 12 timesPubMed
Perimenopausal women received education, diet guidance, or diet plus resistance exercise for 3 months; all groups reduced climacteric symptom scores, with the combined group showing broad symptom improvement.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 78 women · 12 weeks · 2022PerimenopausalCited 10 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.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 38 women · 12 weeks · 2010Midlife womenCited 15 timesPubMed
In 42 postmenopausal women with thumb joint osteoarthritis, 4 weeks of strength training with or without added neuromuscular facilitation reduced disability, pain, and improved mobility and grip strength.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 42 women · 4 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 6 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
Early postmenopausal women who did high-resistance strength training and high-impact aerobics for 3 years maintained bone density at the spine and hip, unlike controls who lost bone.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 78 women · 156 weeks · 2006Early postmenopausalCited 85 timesPubMed
In middle-aged women with myofascial pain syndrome, an 8-week elastic band resistance program reduced shoulder pain, improved range of motion and increased muscle thickness versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 72 women · 8 weeks · 2020Midlife womenCited 5 timesPubMed
A review reported that aerobic and resistance exercise in postmenopausal women with osteoarthritis improved joint function, reduced pain and modulated inflammatory markers.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
In 42 middle-aged women after knee osteotomy, low-intensity resistance exercise with blood flow restriction at higher pressure best preserved thigh muscle size and increased strength over 12 weeks, with pain improving in all groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 42 women · 12 weeks · 2022Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed
Thirty-six middle-aged women with sarcopenia did 12 weeks of resistance exercise with or without nitrate supplementation after knee surgery, and nitrate plus exercise improved muscle mass and strength more.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 36 women · 12 weeks · 2025Midlife womenCited 2 timesPubMed
In 114 young and middle-aged breast cancer patients after surgery, moderate-to-high intensity resistance exercise improved shoulder joint mobility, pain, strength and immune markers more than low intensity exercise.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 114 women · 2025Midlife womenCited 1 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
Postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis did 24 weeks of home leg exercises with or without vitamin D3 or E, and all groups improved in symptoms and strength with no added benefit from supplements.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 80 women · 24 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
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
A survey of 868 female Masters weightlifters aged 30 to 78 found joint pain was more common after menopause, and lifting heavier weights was linked to more hip, knee and wrist pain.
Mixed resultsCross-sectional study · 868 women · 2023Midlife womenPubMed
This is a trial protocol for 80 Japanese women over 65 with knee osteoarthritis combining oestrogen gel with 12 weeks of muscle resistance exercise, with no results reported yet.
Direction not statedOther · 80 women · 12 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed