okenawa

literature and research. role of impact exercises, resistance and postural exercises.

literature and research

the OKenawa® program is designed to meet the specific needs of people with osteoporosis, while integrating modern approaches to physical rehabilitation and prevention. its effectiveness is based on a combination of movement sciences, biomechanics and scientifically proven research in the field of osteoporosis. here is a set of data and results from the scientific literature that justify the importance of specific physical exercises, particularly those with impacts, resistance and postural work, to improve bone density and prevent fractures.

role of impact exercises, resistance and postural exercises

non-weight-bearing aerobic sports, such as cycling and swimming, generally lead to lower bone mineral density (BMD) than impact sports.

nikander r et al. osteoporos int. 2009; 20:1321-8

competitive male cyclists had low BMD and a high risk of fractures. the authors recommended alternative exercises (impact activities) in addition to cycling training to minimize bone loss.

nichols jf et al. j strength cond res. 2011; 25:727-34

the impact induced by walking could improve femoral BMD in postmenopausal women, with no positive effect on the spine.

martyn-st jm, carroll s. bone. 2008; 43:521-31

a study comparing 44 runners and sedentary controls (over 65 years old) found that runners (with moderate impact) had significantly higher total body BMD.

velez nf et al. osteoporos int. 2008; 19:1457-64

after 6 months of strengthening, a significant increase in BMD was observed in the spine and femoral neck in the high-impact group, compared to the strengthening and control groups.

basat h et al. j back musc rehabil. 2013; 26:427-35

physical activities involving impact forces (generating both gravitational and muscular load) tended to have a slightly better effect on bone metabolism and fracture risk reduction than isolated non-impact training, such as weight training.

wendy mk et al. med sci sports exerc. 2009; 41:2050-5

a moderate to high-intensity resistance training program (70 to 90% of one repetition maximum - 1RM), with 3-4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise, performed 2 or 3 times a week, can maintain or improve hip and femur BMD in postmenopausal women.

zehnacker ch et al. a systematic review. j geriat phys ther. 2007; 79-88

training on elderly people with osteoporosis or osteopenia has shown that resistance training has a beneficial effect on physical functions and daily activities.

wilhelm m et al. physiother can. 2012; 64:386-94

strengthening the back extensor muscles in postmenopausal women can lead to a significant reduction in vertebral fractures, as well as improved body balance and reduced falls.

huntoon ea et al. mayo clin proc. 2008; 83:54-7

gait rehabilitation, exercises and techniques aimed at improving posture should be offered to postmenopausal women.

castro mp. arq ciênc saúde unipar. 2000; 4:159-64

18 weeks of resistance, proprioception and balance training can reduce the number of falls, improve functional capacity, dynamic balance and quality of life compared to the control group. the incidence of falls was reduced by 38% in the training group, compared to 16% in the control group.

teixeira l et al. osteoporosis. 2010; 46:216-39

- the risk of falling in osteopenic postmenopausal women was assessed before and after 24 weeks of tai chi training. an improvement in trunk stability and a decrease in the number of falls were observed.

chyu mc et al. clin rehabil. 2010; 24:1080-90

experimental work has shown that mechanical vibration can be beneficial for bone microarchitecture, improving bone density and strength.

zeubin c et al. j bone miner res. 2002; 17:349-5

exercises and techniques aimed at improving posture are very important for osteoporotic populations.

silva aclg et al. fisioter mov. 2009; 22:449-55 & castro mp. arq ciênc saúde unipar. 2000; 4:159-64

in elderly people, taking more steps per day is associated with a progressive decrease in the risk of cardiovascular disease. the number of daily steps is a simple measure for communication between clinicians and patients, as well as for population health to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

paluch ae et al. circulation 2023; 147:122-131