Researchers from the Kolling Institute and Royal North Shore Hospital are inviting women aged 50-80 to join a study to assess the effectiveness of combining exercise with medication for better bone and muscle health in postmenopausal women.
Endocrinologist and researcher Dr Shejil Kumar said we know that exercise has benefits for bone and muscle health, and there are effective treatments available to strengthen bones.
“However, what we don’t know is whether combining exercise plus medication at the same time can lead to even greater improvements in bone and muscle health than either approach on its own,” he said.
The study will use a medication which is registered and approved in Australia and has been shown to increase bone density and reduce fracture risk in large international studies.
The research team will aim to assess how different combinations of treatment improve bone density, muscle strength, body composition, physical function and risk of falls.
Participants will be randomly assigned to different treatment groups, including a supervised group class focusing on weightbearing exercises and a home-based exercise program concentrating on mobility and balance.
“We believe this combination will be more effective and could dramatically change the way we treat and prevent osteoporosis going forward,” Dr Kumar said.
Researchers have recruited 45 women into the study and are hoping to reach a target of 75 by 2026.
For further information email Shejil.Kumar@health.nsw.gov.au.
(The study has been approved by the NSLHD Ethics Committee (2022/ETH01794)