Effectiveness and safety of physical exercise and health education for the management of osteoporotic vertebral fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Pooled result · Functional capacity (exercise)Result — go to the resultSMD −0.41 95% CI −0.69 to −0.14Authors' conclusion
Physical exercise is effective and safe in the recovery of OVFs
Study context
- Population
- Adults with osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVFs); literature search up to April 2024 in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library19 studies (exercise)
- Comparison
- Physical exercise and health education vs usual care
- Outcome
- Physical capacity
Methodological detailsSMD meta-analysis, sensitivity analyses, narrative synthesis of health education interventions, Study selection, bias assessment and data extraction independently by two authors, a third resolving conflicts
- SMD meta-analysis
- Sensitivity analyses
- Narrative synthesis of health education interventions
- Study selection, bias assessment and data extraction independently by two authors, a third resolving conflicts
Pooled result
Functional capacity (exercise)
SMD
−0.41
95% CI −0.69 to −0.14
p 0.003
Physical exercisevs Usual care
SMD −0.41 (95% CI −0.69 to −0.14); p 0.003
As reported in the abstract
Further pooled results
Aerobic capacity, balance, trunk muscle strength, pain and quality of life (exercise)
- Significantly improved with physical exercise
Thoracic posture and fear of falling (exercise)
- No significant effects
Pain, mobility and patient knowledge (health education, two studies, narrative synthesis)
- Both studies showed improvements
Safety
Adverse events (exercise)
- Adverse event risk low, comparable to usual care or daily activities
- 6%
Original publication
Effectiveness and safety of physical exercise and health education for the management of osteoporotic vertebral fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Osteoporos Int. Published 8 May 2026. doi:10.
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