Nordic Walking for Individuals With Osteoporosis, Vertebral Fracture or Hyperkyphosis

University of Saskatchewan

Status

Completed

Conditions

Osteoporosis

Hyperkyphosis

Vertebral Fracture

Treatments

Behavioral: Nordic Walking exercise

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT03885466

140

Details and patient eligibility

About

Nordic walking is currently offered by a number of health care practitioners as a form of exercise therapy for older adults at risk of fracture. These include older individuals with osteoporosis, previous vertebral fracture, or hyperkyphosis. To the investigators knowledge, this practice is not evidence-based and thus potentially problematic as benefits and safety of Nordic walking for individuals with osteoporosis, fractures, or hyperkyphosis are unknown. The proposed study will answer the following principal question: Does Nordic walking improve mobility, physical function, posture, and quality of life for ambulant community dwelling individuals who have osteoporosis, a history of osteoporotic fracture, or hyperkyphosis? Participants will be randomized into either the Nordic walking intervention group, or the waiting-list control group. Participants will initially train 3 times per week for 3 months, led by peer- and/or student-instructors. The Nordic walking training will depend on the participant's skill and comfort level and will consist of walking with poles over a distance set individually for each participant. The control group will receive the same 3-month Nordic walking intervention after their control follow-up measurements are completed.

Full description

The investigators will include 160 individuals who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, have history of osteoporotic fracture or hyperkyphosis (hunched-back posture). Participants will be randomized to either a Nordic walking intervention group or a waiting-list control group (the latter group will receive same intervention after the trial is completed). The pole-walking intervention will be 12 weeks in duration, including 3 weekly Nordic walking sessions (warm up, Nordic walking with posture and leg strengthening exercises and stretches) tailored to each participants. The investigators will define osteoporosis status at baseline (via DXA scans). The investigators will compare between group changes in dynamic balance, posture, quality of life, mobility, muscle strength, size and composition (using low radiation CT scans) after 3 months of Nordic walking intervention.

Enrollment

117 patients

Sex

All

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Eligibility criteria for study participants:

diagnosis of osteoporosis, past vertebral fracture or hyperkyphosis
ambulatory (without the use of assistive devices)
not currently involved in moderate-vigorous exercise training, including Nordic walking, more than once per week
must not be diagnosed with Parkinson's disease