Review article

Non-Pharmacological Treatment of Osteoporosis

Tonko Vlak

Abstract

Non-pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis is an integral part of all treatment algorithms in this complex metabolic disease affecting the skeletal system in a way that often cannot be measured. Unlike pharmacological treatment with its strictly defined methods, non-pharmacological treatment encompasses quite a few informal procedures and looser interpretation of their impact on treatment outcomes. Therefore, we have tried, by searching the available database (Cochrane, PEDro), to determine what evidence base medicine has to offer within its own conclusions for non-pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis. The most significant role in general is given to various exercise models by offering debatable information about their effects on osteoporotic bone (re)modeling and prevention of future fractures. In postmenopausal osteoporosis, a combination of exercises has yielded the best outcomes, including muscle strengthening exercises, aerobics, weight exercises and high intensity exercises. Among the aforementioned, only resistance exercises performed with gym equipment have displayed statistically significant increase in bone mineral density, but just within the femoral neck, whereas coordination and balance exercises have reduced the number of falls and consequently the number of osteoporotic fractures. A need for further research is still present in order to provide new quality evidence proving that non-pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis has a significant role in all treatment algorithms.

Keywords

osteoporosis; non-pharmacological treatment; evidence-based medicine

Hrčak ID:

291573

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/291573

Publication date:

17.1.2023.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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