Brita Stanghelle is a PhD student at the PhD programme in Health Sciences.
Trial Lecture
The trial lecture starts in at 10:00 in Zoom, and it will be held in Norwegian.
Title: Forekomst av hoftebrudd i Norge over tid. Hva er årsakene til nedgangen de siste årene og hva det sier om framtiden?
Public defense
The candidate will defend her thesis in Norwegian at 12:15 in Zoom.
Title of the thesis: Exercise to improve physical fitness, health-related quality of life and fear of falling in older women with osteoporosis and vertebral fracture. A randomized controlled trial and a cross-sectional study.
Ordinary opponents
- First opponent: Professor Lars Nyberg, Luleå University of Technology
- Second opponent: Professor Berit Schei, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
- Chair of the committee: Professor Vigdis Aas, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University
Leader of the public defense
Associate Professor Yngve Røe, Department of Physiotherapy, Oslo Metropolitan University
Supervisors
- Main supervisor: Professor Astrid Bergland, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University
- Co-supervisor: Head of Department, Hege Bentzen, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University
Digital defense information
Due to limitations on physical participation as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic, the public defense will be conducted as a webinar on the zoom digital platform.
The link to the trial lecture and digital defense in Zoom will be available on the top of this page. OsloMet students and employees use OsloMet accounts. Others can download Zoom or use a browser.
How to oppose ex auditorio
Please send your question to the host during the break, before the second opponent begins. Raise your digital hand by clicking "Participants" at the bottom of the zoom window and choose "Raise Hand" if you want to voice the question yourself after both opponents have finished their questions. The technical administrator will ask to activate your microphone. Click Yes.
Need help to get into Zoom?
Publication of the approved PhD thesis
Request a copy of the PhD thesis by e-mail. Include the name of the PhD candidate.
Abstract
Background
Osteoporosis and vertebral fractures represent a major health-burden worldwide and affects more women than men. The prevalence of osteoporosis is expected to increase as the world’s population ages. Vertebral fractures represent a substantial risk of new fractures and are associated with increased mortality, morbidity, declined physical function, reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and back pain. Exercise is often recommended as a part of the treatment to prevent bone loss, falls and fractures. However, research evaluating the effects of exercise for people with osteoporosis and vertebral fractures is scarce and uncertainty still exists regarding the efficacy and safety of exercise. More adequately powered high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of exercise for this population is required, as no guidelines for this population currently exist.
Aims
The overall aim of this PhD-project was to investigate the effects of a multicomponent resistance and balance exercise programme in a group of community-dwelling older women with osteoporosis and vertebral fractures. Within the overall aim of the study, there were different sub-aims. The first sub-aim of the thesis was to provide an in-depth background for the study, with detailed information on the project procedures to enhance the transparency of the project and further reduce publication bias. The second sub-aim was to explore the associations between HRQoL, physical function and pain in older women with osteoporosis and vertebral fractures. The third sub-aim was to examine the short- and longer-term effects of a multicomponent resistance and balance exercise programme in older women with osteoporosis and vertebral fractures.
Methods
Results from paper II, where the relationship between HRQoL and physical function as well as pain is explored, show that a higher level of HRQoL is associated with a lower level of pain and better physical function, measured by habitual walking speed. Paper III reports that for the primary outcome, habitual walking speed, no statistically significant difference between the groups were shown. Further results from Paper III show that there were statistically significant between-group differences in favour of the intervention group on balance, lower limb strength and upper limb strength (Senior Fitness test), as well as on fear of falling at three months follow-up (short-term). There were no statistically significant differences between-groups on HRQoL. Paper IV shows that the improvements on balance, muscle strength and fear of falling sustained at six months follow-up (longer-term). In addition, there was a statistically significant difference in favour of the intervention group on mobility. For habitual walking speed and HRQoL, none statistically difference between-groups were shown at six months follow-up.
Conclusion
Pain and physical function are significantly associated with HRQOL in a group of older women with osteoporosis and vertebral fracture. A supervised multicomponent resistance and balance exercise programme showed short-term effects on improved muscle strength, balance and fear of falling in older women with osteoporosis and vertebral fractures after three-months follow-up as well as longer-term effects on the same outcomes. There were no effects of the programme, neither on short- or longer-term, on habitual walking speed and HRQoL. There is still a need of more research on the effect of exercise on physical fitness and HRQoL for individuals with osteoporosis and vertebral fractures to inform exercise prescription and to improve health services for individuals with vertebral fractures.
Questions?
Who can answer questions prior to trial lecture and public defense? phd-hv@oslomet.no
