Efficacy of a Self-Management Program for Osteoporotic Subjects

Objective: This study is based on whether the self-management program choices For Better Bone Health is effective to promote behavioral strategies for improving bone health, life quality, pain perception, physical function, and balance in osteoporotic subjects. Design: In this single-blind, randomized controlled study, a total of 50 sedentary women with postmenopausal and idiopathic osteoporosis were selected from the outpatients of AtatUrk Balneotherapy and Rehabilitation Center according to their physical activity level and T scores of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry as the inclusion criteria. Fifty sedentary women with BM D T scores of -2.5 or lower were randomized into two groups (self-management group: group 1; and control group: group 2) and enrolled in a 6-mo study. Participants attended self-management class once a week for 5 wks. Evaluations were done at baseline, at the end of the fifth week, and at the sixth month. Pain-intensity evaluation by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), life-quality assessments by SF-36, balance testing by Sensitized Romberg Test (SRT), and functional assessment by Timed Sit to Stand test (TSS) and a simple questionnaire were the outcome measures. Results: When the groups were compared by change scores and percentages of change, improvements observed in pain intensity by VAS (P < 0.001), SF-36 Physical Function (P < 0.001), SF-36 Physical Role Limitations (P < 0.001), SF-36 Social Function (P < 0.001), SF-36 Mental Health (P < 0.001), SF-36 Vitality (P < 0.01), SF-36 Pain (P < 0.001), SF-36 General Health Perceptions (P < 0.05), SF-36 Emotional Role Limitations (P < 0.01), SIRT eyes open (P < 0.001), SRT eyes closed (P < 0.001), and TSS (P < 0.001) were determined to be superior in group 1 at the end of the sixth month. Seventy-four percent of patients in group 1 engaged in regular physical activities, and 92% of them declared that they understood the purpose and benefits of medications and dietary calcium intake. Fifty-seven percent of them formed personal plans for preventing traumas, whereas 8% of the subjects in group 2 experienced new falls but no fractures. Conclusion: It is determined that the self-management class led to improvements in functional, balance, and life-quality outcomes and to reductions in pain perception.