The Impact of Walking Programs on Reduction of Menopausal Symptoms: A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.28984/npoj.v2i1.370Keywords:
Menopause, Walking, Pedometer-based WalkingAbstract
Aim: To identify types of walking programs and to determine the effects of these programs on menopausal symptoms.
Background: Menopause is a naturally occurring phenomenon for women and can present with several physical and mental symptoms that are more severely experienced by some individuals. These experiences can be very distressing for women to deal with, especially because of their personal, social, and work lives. The substantial impact of menopausal symptoms directly calls for effective intervention. Specific to menopause, physical activity is a form of intervention that can decrease occurrences and severity of menopausal symptoms. Previous studies have reported the benefits of walking programs in reducing symptoms, yet it is unclear which specific ones are most effective in reducing menopausal symptoms, especially because of the time and efficacy barriers reported by menopausal women.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted in nine databases for articles published since September 2011, to identify quantitative studies that evaluated walking programs in menopausal women. Two investigators independently screened articles, extracted data related to the type and the outcomes of walking programs, and assessed risk of bias. Effect sizes were calculated to quantify the effects of walking programs on menopausal symptoms.
Findings: Six studies, including five randomized control trials (RCTs) and a one group pretest-post-test study, met all inclusion criteria. Amongst all programs (Pedometer-based programs, Nordic walking, walking training and SaBang Dolgi), pedometer-based walking presented the greatest improvement in outcomes. All studies reported improvement in post-intervention menopausal symptoms of depression, sleep quality and physiological markers, however depression saw the greatest reduction post interventions.
Conclusions: Pedometer-based walking programs seem to be the most effective intervention for reduction of menopausal symptoms.
Key words: menopause, walking, pedometer-based walking
Published
Versions
- 2022-07-20 (2)
- 2022-07-13 (1)
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Hasina Amanzai, Souraya Sidani, Kaitlyn Munro, Wareesha Nadeem , Hanniya Ansari , Tooba Zia, Sepali Guruge
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright Notice
- Authors who publish in this journal retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CCBY 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) after publication, while providing bibliographic details that credit NPOJ (See The Effect of Open Access).
