A study conducted by the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) observed the impact of exercise as an addition to the medication with antidepressants. You can read the full article here: Exercise with a physiotherapist helps people with depression
The data was collected from 62 participants who had a diagnosis of clinical depression. Researchers organised them into three groups, in which two of them were engaging twice a week in two different types of exercise with a physiotherapist, for ten weeks, and the other group did not engage in any physical activity, functioning as a control group.
For the exercises done by the participants, it was used a person-centered approach, which allowed participants to have exercises that were matched to their personal needs and expectations.
The results of the study showed that those who were part of the groups that exercised revealed improvements on their mental health, compared to those who did not exercise. According to the research, participants who exercised felt better equipped to do more at home and had more social interactions.
Participants described how their mental health impacted their ability to get out the house and how it was a barrier for them to exercise, since they could not find the mental energy to start. Most of them emphasised how the physiotherapist’s support helped them in this process.
Louise Danielsson, Ph.D. student, commented: “Our results show that exercise can be used within primary care with the rehabilitation of people with depression”.
If you are someone looking for a physiotherapy appointment , please contact us at Salus Wellness Clinics for free advice and to explore what we can offer you.