NONINTERVENTIONAL APPROACH TO TREATMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH VERTEBRAL COMPRESSION FRACTURE: SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES

Aquatic Exercise

The role of exercise for individuals with osteoporosis is to increase the function of underlying neuromuscular structures and to reduce fracture risk. Aqua therapy in a warm pool can improve flexibility and muscle strength. Although a nonweight-bearing form of exercise, the advantage of aquatic exercise is that land-based compressive overloads on the spine are low in aquatic environments due to the physical properties of the buoyancy of the water (74). In a study of aquatic exercise intervention, the intervention group without fractures showed better results than the control group without fractures in flexibility tests, spine extension strength, hip flexor strength, left and right handgrip strength, and decrease in the number of falls and pain perception (p < 0.05) (74). The intervention group without fractures also obtained better results for right handgrip strength and decreased pain perception in comparison to the control group with fractures (74).