Detraining neutralizes the adaptation effect of aquatic and land-based exercise on menopausal symptoms

Objectives: Some evidence has shown the beneficial effects of exercise on reducing menopausal symptoms. However, the effect of type of exercise (aquatic and land-based exercise) and cessation of exercise is still unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the menopausal symptoms in two aquatic and land-based trained groups before and after cessation of exercise due to COVID-19 outbreak.
Methods: 90 postmenopausal women participated in the study voluntarily. The daily and sport physical activities and menopausal symptoms were assessed through interviews three months after cessation of sport activities and Questions were designed and obtained from daily physical activity form and menopausal rating scale (MRS) questionnaire respectively.
Results: Before the cessation of exercise, the somatic, psychological, and sexual symptoms of menopause were lower in both active groups than the inactive group, while there was no significant difference in three categories of menopausal symptoms between aquatic and land- based exercise groups. After the cessation of exercise, menopausal symptoms in the two groups of previously active women increased significantly compared to the inactive group, so that there was no significant difference in menopausal symptoms between exercise and inactive groups.
Conclusion: aquatic and land-based exercise reduces the symptoms of menopause similarly, while the beneficial effects of exercise on menopausal symptoms can disappear after the cessation of exercise for three months.