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The results of this study suggest that whole-body vibration exercise using a Galileo machine appears to be useful in reducing chronic back pain, probably by relaxing the back muscles in post-menopausal osteoporotic women treated with alendronate.

Abstract. The present study was conducted to determine the beneficial effect of wholebody vibration (WBV) exercise in addition to muscle strengthening, balance, and walking exercises on the walking ability in the elderly. Sixty-seven elderly participants were divided into two groups; the WBV exercise plus routine exercises group (n=40) and the routine exercises alone group (n=27). WBV exercise was performed on a Galileo machine (Novotec, Pforzheim, Germany) at an intensity of 12-20 Hz, for a duration of 4 minutes, once every week. All the participants in both the groups were similarly instructed to undergo routine exercises such as balance and muscle strengthening trainings, and take walking exercise twice a week. The period of this study was 2 months to evaluate the acute effects of WBV exercise. The mean age of the participants was 72.0 years (range, 59-86 years). At baseline, there were significant negative correlations between age and the walking speed, step length, and maximum standing time on one leg. After the 2-month exercise program, the walking speed, step length, and the maximum standing time on one leg were significantly improved in the WBV exercise plus routine exercises group, while no significant changes in these parameters were observed in the routine exercises alone group. Thus, the present study showed the beneficial effect of WBV exercise in addition to muscle strengthening, balance, and walking exercises in improving the walking ability in the elderly. WBV exercise was safe and well tolerated in the elderly. (Keio J Med 56 (1) : 28 -33, March 2007)

The purpose of this prospective study was to determine whether moderate walking exercise in postmenopausal women with osteopenia/osteoporosis would affect bone metabolism. Fifty postmenopausal women, aged 49-75 years, with osteopenia/osteoporosis were recruited: 32 women entered the exercise program (the exercise group) and 18 served as controls (the control group). The exercise consisted of daily outdoor walking, the intensity of which was 50% of maximum oxygen consumption, with a duration of at least 1 h with more than 8000 steps, at a frequency of 4 days a week, over a 12-month period. Lumbar (L2-L4) bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at the baseline and every 6 months with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in both groups. Serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) and urinary cross-linked N-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (NTX) levels were measured at baseline and at months 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 by EIA and ELISA, respectively, in the exercise group, and urinary NTX level was measured at the baseline and every 6 months in the control group. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics including age, height, body weight, bone mass index, years since menopause, lumbar BMD, and urinary NTX level between the two groups. Although no significant changes were observed in lumbar BMD and the urinary NTX level in the control group, lumbar BMD in the exercise group was increased as compared with the control group, but was sustained from the baseline. In the exercise group, the urinary NTX level rapidly responded to walking exercise from month 3, and this reduction was sustained until month 12, followed by reduction in the serum BAP level. A moderately negative correlation was found between the percent change in the urinary NTX level at month 3 and that in lumbar BMD at month 12 in the exercise group. This study clearly demonstrates that the mechanism for the positive response of lumbar BMD to moderate walking exercise in postmenopausal women with osteopenia/osteoporosis appears to be the suppression of bone turnover, and that an early change in the urinary NTX level may be useful to predict the long-term response of increasing lumbar BMD to exercise, although its efficacy for lumbar BMD may be quite modest.

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The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of exercise on bone mass, bone metabolism, and calciotropic hormones in young growing rats. Twenty 6-week-old female Wistar rats were randomized into the following four groups with 5 animals each: 7 weeks of exercise, 7 weeks of sedentary control, 11 weeks of exercise, and 11 weeks of sedentary control. The exercise regimen consisted of running on a treadmill at 25 m/min for 1 h each day on 5 days a week. After each period of exercise, the bone mineral content (BMC) of the tibia and fifth lumbar spine was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, using a Lunar DPX-L instrument. The femoral length and levels of bone markers and calciotropic hormones were also assessed. Seven and 11 weeks of exercise increased the serum osteocalcin and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) levels, and decreased the serum parathyroid level. Seven weeks of exercise decreased the urinary deoxypyridinoline level, and 11 weeks of exercise increased the serum alkaline phosphatase level and decreased the serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase level. As a result, 7 and 11 weeks of exercise increased the femoral length and tibial BMC, but did not alter the lumbar BMC. The present study demonstrates that treadmill exercise stimulates bone formation and suppresses bone resorption, increases the serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) level, and decreases the serum parathyroid hormone level, resulting in an increase in bone mass with stimulation of longitudinal bone growth, especially at weight-bearing sites, in young growing rats. Further studies with long-term exercise may be needed to obtain a positive effect on the lumbar BMC.

The present study showed the beneficial effect of the exercise program aimed at improving flexibility, body balance, muscle power, and walking ability in preventing falls in the elderly.

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