The effectiveness of home-based physical activity on osteoporosis: a narrative review of possible intervention

Abstract

Physical activity plays a key role in prevention and treatment of several chronic conditions. Moreover, exercise seems to induce improvements in the bone turnover of osteopenic and osteoporotic subjects, increasing bone health. Incidence of osteoporosis increases in postmenopausal women due to hormonal factors that lead to an imbalance in bone remodeling. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic period induced general population to decrease the level of physical activity, increasing the incidence of several diseases, including osteoporosis. During this year, the use of technology has been applied to continue rehabilitation program, as well as the gym session, to reduce the sedentary level both in healthy population and in patients. Therefore, the focus of this review is to verify the effectiveness of home-based protocols, feasible to be performed during confinement situation, on bone health and functional parameters of postmenopausal women, generally at high-risk of osteoporosis. According to the studies analyzed home-based exercises seem effectiveness to maintain bone health in postmenopausal women, despite the protocol attendance seems to decrease over the 12 months.