Motor Control Exercise in Osteoporotic Women

NCT ID: NCT01172574

Last Updated: 2010-07-30

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 20 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2006-11-30
• Study Completion Date: 2008-01-31

Brief Summary

The objective of this study was to explore the effectiveness of Motor Control Exercise on pain, postural alignment and spinal curvatures in women with osteoporotic vertebral fractures.

Detailed Description

Osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disease that usually affects the aging population. It is an important public health problem, due to its association with vertebral and nonvertebral fractures leading to increased morbidity. Vertebral fractures are accompanied by kyphosis, reduced pulmonary function, loss of height, and are often associated with elevated pain while they may also lead to subsequent vertebral fractures. Osteoporotic individuals exhibit kyphosis in the erect standing position, which, in turn, is compensated by the deformation of other parts of the body. Improvement of postural alignment may lead to less stress on the spine, facilitate posture and proper body mechanics and may improve balance. The aim of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of Motor Control Exercise on pain, postural alignment and spinal curvatures in women with osteoporotic vertebral fracture against the results of a control group that received the basic therapies for osteoporosis.

Conditions

Osteoporosis; Postmenopausal

Keywords

Osteoporosis; Pain; Kyphosis; Posture; Exercise therapy

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Motor control exercise

Subjects of the exercise group underwent a 3-month (13-week) treatment program directed on 3-weekly 1-hr one-to-one sessions by the researcher who had experience in the specific exercise treatment of the spinal region. During the next 3 months, the subjects were urged to perform the exercises alone at home at least once a day, and compliance was monitored by the activity quota chart given to them at the beginning of each study-month.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Motor control exercise

Intervention Type: OTHER

Participants of the exercise group were trained to consciously co-activate the transversus abdominis, pelvic floor and thoracic erector spinae muscle, relax the lumbar multifidus and use the diaphragmatic breathing pattern. They were encouraged to activate the specific muscles of the trunk regularly during daily activities, particularly in situations where they anticipated or experienced pain such as walking, twisting, lifting low-lying objects and working with the hands in sitting or standing positions

Control group

The control group underwent treatment throughout a 6-month period, directed by each patient's medical practitioner. This consisted of the patients carrying out regular weekly general exercises (walking and swimming). Three of them regularly attended other treatment providers involving group general exercise programs. Two patients received the application of local pain-relieving methods such as heat, massage, laser and ultrasound and one did nothing except for receiving osteoporotic medication.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Motor control exercise

Participants of the exercise group were trained to consciously co-activate the transversus abdominis, pelvic floor and thoracic erector spinae muscle, relax the lumbar multifidus and use the diaphragmatic breathing pattern. They were encouraged to activate the specific muscles of the trunk regularly during daily activities, particularly in situations where they anticipated or experienced pain such as walking, twisting, lifting low-lying objects and working with the hands in sitting or standing positions

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Postmenopausal osteoporosis
• Osteoporotic vertebral fractures
• Pain
• Under medical osteoporotic treatment

Exclusion Criteria

• osteoporosis other than primary postmenopausal
• vertebral collapse with neurological deficits
• more than 5 fractured vertebrae
• major respiratory conditions
• receiving pain reducing agents, teriparatide or calcitonin

• Minimum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 80 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Researcher, Laboratory for Research of the Musculoskeletal System, School of Medicine

Locations

Hospital Thias Pronoias 'I Pammakaristos'

Athens, Attica, Greece

Countries

Greece

Other Identifiers

1112

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id