Exercise as a Therapeutic and Supporting Strategy for Climacteric Symptoms: an Evidence-Based Review.

Climacteric is a natural process characterized by the female hormones reduction and increased symptoms that interfere in the woman's quality of life. The objective was to raise scientific evidence on the physical exercise effects as a therapeutic strategy on climacteric symptoms. This systematic review study accessed the Virtual Health Library (VHL) and consulted articles from the last 10 years, with the following eligibility criteria; inclusion, scientific articles published in the last 10 years, with clinical, quasi-experimental, cross-sectional design and case studies conducted with women in the climacteric. Articles published before 2010 with delineations were excluded; epidemiological, systematic review, meta-analyzes, experimental studies with animal model. The studies included in the review were read in full, critically analyzed and categorized. The findings showed that active women have a reduction in vasomotor and somatic symptoms of the climacteric, also collaborating in the prevention of diseases prevalent in this period. Aerobic physical exercise improves physical fitness and quality of life indicators of climacteric women. In clinical practice, aerobic exercise can be considered an auxiliary strategy in the climacteric symptoms treatment and female health improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]