Physical activity improves mental well-being after traumatic events

1. In this systematic review, physical activity levels were correlated with improvements in mental well-being and various mental health symptoms after traumatic events.

2. Conversely, those who did not engage in physical activity had worsened mental health symptoms and experienced more relational problems following traumatic events.

Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent)

Recent studies have suggested that physical activity may have a unique role in maintaining both physical and mental health in several mental health disorders. Studies have also shown that those who experience traumatic events are at higher risk for mental health problems. However, the potential benefits of physical activity in those who have experienced traumatic events has not yet been well established. As a result, the objective of the present systematic review was to synthesize the available evidence and determine the nature of the relationship between physical activity and mental health in those who have experienced traumatic events.

Of 947 identified records, 33 studies (n=12 natural disasters) were included from various databases from 2011-2020. Studies were included if they investigated the effects of physical activity on the mental health of children and adults who experienced various traumatic events. Studies were excluded if the full text was unavailable or if the study lacked scientific methodology. The review was performed using PRISMA guidelines. Quality assessment was performed using a structured tool developed by Brooks et al. The primary outcome was the impact of physical activity on mental health outcomes.

The results demonstrated that increased physical activity was associated with lower levels of stress, depression, and other psychological symptoms in patients who experienced traumatic events. Physical activity was also associated with improved sleep quality and quality of life in this population. Those who did not engage in physical activity had worsened mood and increased relationship problems. Despite these results, the study was limited by the heterogeneity of the types of traumatic events that were experienced, which may limit comparisons. Nonetheless, the present study suggested that physical activity may have overall benefits for individual mental health after traumatic events.

Click to read the study in European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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