A meta-analysis of 4 trials in 256 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia found exercise programmes improved physical function, pain, role physical and vitality quality-of-life domains.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 256 participants pooled · 2009PostmenopausalCited 55 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 meta-analysis of 29 RCTs in 2071 women with breast cancer found combined aerobic and resistance training improved fitness, fatigue and quality of life, with smaller benefits in postmenopausal women.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2,071 participants pooled · 2026Midlife womenCited 2 timesPubMed
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
Breast cancer surgery patients did an 8-month exercise program delivered face to face or by phone, reporting better quality of life, fitness and fatigue than usual care, with no difference in other side effects.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 194 women · 32 weeks · 2013Midlife womenCited 146 timesPubMed
A network meta-analysis of 31 RCTs in peri and postmenopausal women found combined exercise and flexibility exercise were most effective for improving sleep quality, with mind-body and aerobic exercise also helpful.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2025Midlife womenCited 1 timesPubMed
Older breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitors did nine months of combined resistance and aerobic exercise, which improved quality of life, fatigue and sleep compared with a control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 36 women · 36 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 89 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
A meta-analysis of 20 randomized trials in postmenopausal women found exercise based rehabilitation reduced vasomotor symptoms but showed no significant pooled effect on BMI, blood pressure, or physical performance.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
Postmenopausal women with heart disease followed a lifestyle program combining diet, exercise and stress management for 24 months, reporting improved body mass and quality of life versus usual care.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 104 weeks · 2000PostmenopausalCited 75 timesPubMed
A 12-month supervised program of cardiorespiratory, stretching and strengthening exercise in menopausal women aged 55 to 72 improved quality of life and menopausal symptoms versus a control group that worsened.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 48 women · 52 weeks · 2006Midlife womenCited 32 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 6 months of mixed exercise with or without phytoestrogens; quality of life scores improved only in the group combining exercise with phytoestrogens, menopausal symptoms unchanged in both.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 40 women · 26 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 21 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did 1 year of aerobic and resistance exercise with or without soy isoflavones, and both groups showed similar improvements in quality of life and climacteric symptoms.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 31 women · 52 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 13 timesPubMed
In sedentary postmenopausal women with urinary incontinence, an eight week multimodal exercise program improved incontinence related quality of life and symptom severity more than pelvic floor training alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 8 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Perimenopausal and early postmenopausal cancer survivors doing a year of aerobic and resistance exercise reported better quality of life at 6 months if taking aromatase inhibitors, but no difference in symptoms overall.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 154 women · 52 weeks · 2019Midlife womenCited 7 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
Previously sedentary postmenopausal women aged 45 to 64 who completed a 20-week exercise plus health promotion program reported improved quality of life, mental well-being, weight, fitness and flexibility versus controls, sustained to 12 months.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 20 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 16 timesPubMed
Previously sedentary postmenopausal women who completed a supervised 20-week multicomponent exercise program showed improved quality of life, mental well-being, weight, fitness and flexibility, maintained through 12-month follow-up.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 20 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 15 timesPubMed
106 obese postmenopausal women did a 3 month aerobic and anaerobic exercise program and reported improved quality of life and reduced weight and fat mass versus a diet-advice control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 106 women · 12 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
In 54 menopausal women, combining time-restricted eating with resistance and endurance circuit training reduced menopausal symptoms and improved quality of life more than exercise alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 54 women · 2025Midlife womenCited 2 timesPubMed
Thirty-eight postmenopausal women with hot flushes did 12 weeks of combined resistance and walking exercise, and reported reduced vasomotor symptom severity and improved sleep and mood versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 36 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
Midlife women aged 45 to 60 who did a 16 week combined aerobic and resistance exercise program reported greater improvements in health related quality of life than a counseling group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 150 women · 16 weeks · 2023Midlife womenPubMed
In 66 early postmenopausal women, eight weeks of combined aerobic and resistance training, delivered in person or via app, reduced menopausal symptoms, fatigue, and improved sleep versus education alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 66 women · 8 weeks · 2026Early postmenopausalPubMed
A six month community exercise program for perimenopausal and menopausal women improved quality of life and physical condition, especially aerobic fitness, strength and balance, versus inactive controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 26 weeks · 2022Midlife womenCited 6 timesPubMed
A review reported that combined diet and aerobic plus strength exercise programmes showed promise for weight control and improved quality of life in breast cancer survivors.
Reported an improvementOther · 2012Midlife womenCited 162 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women did a 10 week mixed Nordic walking and strength training program and showed improved fitness, strength, waist to hip ratio and cholesterol levels.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 10 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
A planned 16-week, 3 sessions per week exercise program in 150 perimenopausal women will assess cost-effectiveness and effects on fitness, sleep and menopause symptoms, results not yet reported.
Direction not statedOther · 150 women · 16 weeks · 2015PerimenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
Breast cancer survivors will do resistance and aerobic exercise with omega-3 supplementation or education for 12 to 24 weeks to test effects on lean body mass; this is a study protocol with no results yet.
Direction not statedOther · 153 women · 24 weeks · 2014Midlife womenCited 12 timesPubMed