Effects of swimming associated with risedronate in osteopenic bones: An experimental study with ovariectomized rats

•We have analyzed the effects of swimming and risedronate drug as a prophylactic way to osteopenic bones.•We carry out training on animals for 12 weeks, with swimming in water tank and medicine in drinking water.•There was improvement of the treated groups compared to groups that received any treatment.•The best results were the groups who used the drug risedronate.•The swimming exercise was able to preserve bone mass but did not demonstrated significant results. Physical activity and risedronate sodium have effects on metabolic bone diseases, maintaining the integrity of bone tissue. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of swimming associated with risedronate as a prophylactic means in osteopenic bone of ovariectomized rats. A total of 24 animals of the Wistar strain were used and separated into four groups containing six animals: Ovariectomy (OVX), ovariectomy and swimming (OVXS), ovariectomy and risedronate (OVXM), ovariectomy, risedronate and swimming (OVXMS). The effectiveness of the treatments were evaluated using the tibia by means of biomechanical, radiographic, histomorphometric analyzes. Statistical analysis was performed by the non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis test (p