EFFECTIVENESS AND CLINICAL OPTIMIZATION OF A STANDARDIZED PHYSIOTHERAPY EXERCISE PROGRAM TARGETING BALANCE-POSTURE INTERACTION AND FALL RISK IN OSTEOPOROSIS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Osteoporosis is a systemic disorder of the skeletal system characterized by decreased Bone Mass and deterioration of the Microarchitecture, making it significantly easier to fracture the bones. In addition to the increased risk of fracture due to reduced Bone Strength, other common impairments in the balance, postural control and coordination of muscles may increase the risk of falling, as well. Recent research has increasingly begun to conceptually link fall risk to be a multi-factorial issue, due to the interaction of the biomechanical, neuromuscular and functional deficits that an older person most likely experiences in conjunction with the effects of ageing (Papalia et al., 2020). As such, physiotherapy techniques for treating persons at risk of falling have progressed away from providing isolated (and consequently limited) gains in strength or mobility, towards providing a more multi-faceted and thus comprehensive, integrated method of enhancing overall physical performance through exercise. Physical activity interventions are being used to treat the condition of osteoporosis and have been identified as an essential component of preventing osteoporosis. Many recent statements have indicated that through the incorporation of organized physical activity into each individual's physical activity routine, as opposed to the previous recommendation for just resistance training and balance activities, the ability for individuals to experience a change in their physical abilities and thereby decrease their risk of falling is significantly improved (Brooke-Wavell et al., 2022; Bae et al., 2023). Among the many types of exercise-based interventions for treating osteoporosis, those that focus on improving balance have been shown to be effective in improving stability of the body postural position as well as decreasing the fear of falling (which can contribute to decreased mobility and increase the risk of falling) (Wei et al., 2023). A systematic review and analysis of th