Telerehabilitation Versus Traditional Balance Training in Women With Osteoporosis.

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Osteoporosis Postmenopausal

• Registration Number: NCT07148479
• Lead Sponsor: Riphah International University

Brief Summary

Osteoporosis is a silent disease that leads to fractures, postural deformities, and impaired balance, especially in postmenopausal women. In Pakistan, prevalence is high, with 39% of women reported as severely osteoporotic. Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and balance issues face increased fall risk due to poor bone density, weakened muscles especially in the lower limb band altered posture .Balance and strength training reduce fall risk, but access to in-person rehabilitation is limited. Telerehabilitation provides remote delivery of structured exercise programs and has shown positive outcomes in balance and bone health. Few studies, however, have compared telerehabilitation with conventional training across all balance domains. The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to compare the effect of Telerehabilitation and Traditional Balance Training in Post Menopausal Women with osteoporosis. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups, and both will receive an identical standardized balance training program . The results of this clinical trial will help evaluate how telerehabilitation can improve the balance of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and improve health outcomes.

Detailed Description

Osteoporosis often remains undetected until fractures occur, typically involving the hip, wrist, or spine, and may also cause back pain, height loss, and kyphosis. Postmenopausal women face increased fall risk due to reduced bone density, weakened lower limb muscles, and altered posture. Many also develop fear of falling, which restricts activity and accelerates muscle weakness.

Globally, osteoporosis affects about 23.1% of women and 11.7% of men, with fragility fractures being a major cause of disability. In Pakistan, hospital-based findings show a high proportion of postmenopausal women as severely osteoporotic, with a strong link to fall-related injuries.

Exercise interventions, including balance, resistance, and weight-bearing training, are known to improve bone strength, postural control, and confidence by stimulating bone remodelling and enhancing musculoskeletal performance. Telerehabilitation, delivered via video conferencing, provides remote access to such programs and has demonstrated improvements in stability, weight-shifting, and functional balance.

However, most studies assess limited outcomes using tools like TUG or BBS, without addressing static, dynamic, anticipatory, and reactive balance together. Evidence largely comes from high-income countries, while data from resource-limited settings like Pakistan remain scarce. This trial seeks to evaluate telerehabilitation compared to traditional training across comprehensive balance domains in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2025-08
• Study First Submitted: 2025-08-24
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-08-24
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-08-24
• Study First Posted: 2025-08-29
• Last Update Posted: 2025-08-29
• Study Start: 2025-09-01
• Primary Completion: 2026-06
• Study Completion: 2026-07-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 60

Inclusion Criteria

• • Women diagnosed with osteopenia and osteoporosis at hip and lumbar spine through DEXA

  • Age 50-70 years
  • Have mobile phones and can communicate in video call
  • Have Balance score (21-44) on berg balance scale
  • A caregiver must be available to assist the participant during Tele sessions.

Exclusion Criteria

• • Women with severe mobility impairments.

  • Women with cognitive conditions affecting participation.
  • Women with lower limb joint injury or surgery

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Berg Balance Scale score	Baseline and 6 weeks	The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is a widely used clinical tool to assess static and dynamic balance in individuals, particularly older adults. It's a 14-item test that evaluates a person's ability to perform various balance-related tasks, such as sitting, standing, reaching, and turning. Each item is scored on a 0-4 scale, with 0 indicating the lowest level of function and 4 indicating the highest. The total score ranges from 0 to 56, with lower scores suggesting a higher risk of falls

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Time up and Go test score	Baseline and 6 weeks	The Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) is a simple yet widely validated tool used to assess mobility and fall risk. It measures how quickly an individual can rise from a chair, walk three meters, turn, walk back, and sit down
Functional reach test	Baseline and 6 weeks	The Functional Reach Test (FRT) assesses how far an individual can reach forward while standing, without stepping or losing balance. It's particularly effective for identifying balance limitations in frail or elderly populations
Change in Push and release test score	Baseline and 6 weeks	Push and Release Test is designed to measure reactive postural control by observing how a person recovers after being released from a supported backward lean.
Change in Single leg stance test score	Baseline and 6 weeks	The Single Leg Stance Test (SLS) is a simple but powerful tool to evaluate balance and stability, particularly in older adults or individuals with conditions like osteoporosis. In this test, the person is asked to stand on one leg usually with eyes open and hands on hips while the clinician times how long they can maintain that position without support. It's an effective way to spot balance problems that could lead to falls

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Riphah International Hospital; 🇵🇰 Islamabad, ICT, Pakistan