NCT03885466

Nordic Walking for Individuals With Osteoporosis, Vertebral Fracture or Hyperkyphosis

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 117 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Saskatchewan · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

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.

Detailed 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.

Conditions

• Osteoporosis
• Hyperkyphosis
• Vertebral Fracture

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Nordic Walking exercise	Participants will initially train 3 times per week for 3 months. Training sessions will be led by trained peer- and/or student-instructors. Nordic walking sessions (starting at 20 and progressing to 60min/session) will include a warm-up, strengthening, and dynamic balance and stretching exercises in addition to Nordic walking, as per the Saskatoon Health Region guide (Saskatoon Health Region, 2014). Training (distance and intensity) will be progressive and individually set.

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-10-18
• Primary completion: 2023-12-21
• Completion: 2023-12-21
• First posted: 2019-03-21
• Last updated: 2024-02-07

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada