Stronger back muscles reduce spine fractures.

2002 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A Mayo Clinic study has found that a back-strengthening exercise program can provide significant long-lasting protection against spinal fractures in women at risk for osteoporosis. The research findings are published in Bone.

"This study provides strong evidence that even without hormone replacement therapy, a specific exercise program can reduce the risk of vertebral fractures in elderly women and that this benefit lasts several years," said Mehrsheed Sinaki, MD, a Mayo Clinic physical medicine specialist and the lead author of the study. "Back extension exercises significantly reduced bone loss and reduced vertebral compression fractures."

Osteoporosis affects 8 million American women, and 2 million men, causing 1 1/2 million fractures each year. As many as 18 million more Americans may have low bone density, a precursor to osteoporosis. The study involved 50 healthy postmenopausal women, ages 58-75. Twenty-seven had performed back-strengthening exercises for 2 years, while the other 23 served as the control group. While there was no difference in bone mineral density between the two groups at the end of the two-year ...