EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT EXERCISE MODALITIES ON MENOPAUSAL SYMPTOM DOMAINS: A REVIEW OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS WITH EXPLORATORY META-ANALYSIS

Abstract

General health benefits of exercise do not, by themselves, establish efficacy for all menopausal symptoms. This study examined the effects of different exercise modalities on menopausal symptom domains, distinguishing comparator types and certainty of evidence. A review of randomized controlled trials with exploratory meta-analyses was conducted by consolidating reports published from 1 January 2021 to 27 September 2026, in English, Portuguese or Spanish, legally available as free full text and present in the predefined bibliographic sources: PubMed/MEDLINE, CENTRAL or LILACS/BVS. Inactive or minimal controls were separated from active comparators. The evidence set comprised 11 reports representing nine trials. Three trials, involving 213 analyzed participants, contributed Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) domain data, pooled using mean differences, random-effects models, restricted maximum likelihood and Hartung-Knapp confidence intervals. Mean differences were -2.41 points for somatic symptoms (95% CI -5.27 to 0.46; I² = 51.3%), -2.78 for psychological symptoms (-5.70 to 0.13; I² = 64.8%) and -0.84 for urogenital symptoms (-2.38 to 0.69; I² = 43.1%). Recorded GRADE certainty was very low for the first two domains and low for the latter. Other findings were heterogeneous. Point estimates favored exercise, but all confidence intervals included no effect. No superior modality or universal therapeutic dose was established. Selection restrictions, post-protocol amendments and incomplete documentation of searches and risk-of-bias assessment limit interpretation.