Exercise therapy for osteoporosis: results of a randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To define the effects of therapeutic exercise on bone density and back complaints.

Methods: A randomised controlled trial with parallel groups was conducted in an outpatient clinic, Medical School, University of Vienna. Ninety two sedentary post-menopausal women with back problems were randomly allocated to either exercise (groups 1 and 2) or control (group 3, no exercise, n = 31); the exercise group was retrospectively subdivided into compliant (group 1, n = 27) and not fully compliant patients (group 2, n = 34).

[Miniphotometer as a beside-laboratory (author's transl)].

Presented here are a minicentrifuge and a miniphotometer for the determination of the contents of haemoglobin, erythrocyte, haematocrit, total protein, total bilirubin, glucose and cholesterin. These instruments are extremely reliable, can be used anywhere and their accuracy is sufficient. Their special advantage, especially for pediatric diagnostics is due to the fact that only minimal quantities of blood are required for measurements.