Exercise improves quality of life, mental health and pain in people living with osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors' conclusion
Exercise improves mental health, QoL, and pain.
Study context
- Population
- People diagnosed with osteoporosis (OP) (mean age 67.1 ± 5.98yrs, 95.1% female)
- Participants
- 2,120 people23 RCTs
- Comparison
- Exercise vs control
- Exercisen = 1,135
- Outcome
- Mental health, QoL and pain
Methodological detailsrandom-effects inverse variance model, GRADE certainty assessment, moderator analyses, Searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science from inception to December 2025, Bias assessed with the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist
- Random-effects inverse variance model
- GRADE certainty assessment
- Moderator analyses
- Searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science from inception to December 2025
- Bias assessed with the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Exercise vs ControlEstimate (CI)P value
Moderate certainty evidence
SMD (mental health) 0.53(0.25–0.81)
P = 0.0002Moderate certainty evidence
SMD (QoL) 0.62(0.29–0.95)
P = 0.0003Low certainty evidence
SMD (pain) 0.36(0.17–0.55)
P = 0.0002- Moderate certainty evidence
- MD (pain at rest) - 1.69 (CI - 2.38, - 0.99); P < 0.00001
Further pooled results
Exercise modality: Clinical Pilates
- Clinical Pilates most effective for mental health
- P = 0.006
- Clinical Pilates most effective for quality of life (QoL)
- P < 0.00001
- Clinical Pilates most effective for pain
- P = 0.01
Mental health by frequency and duration
- Largest effect with interventions three times per week for 4-11 weeks
Reporting quality (CERT)
- CERT mean (± SD), range 5-18
- 11.1 ± 3.4
- Concerns regarding evidence certainty, internal validity and statistical conclusion validity bias
Original publication
Exercise improves quality of life, mental health and pain in people living with osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Osteoporos Int. Published 20 February 2026. doi:10.
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