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Clinical Trial
. 2023 Feb 15;20(4):3421.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph20043421.

Aerobic and Postural Strength Exercise Benefits in People with Schizophrenia

Michele Fonseca Szortyka  1   2 , Viviane Batista Cristiano  1   2 , Paulo Belmonte-de-Abreu  1   2   3
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Aerobic and Postural Strength Exercise Benefits in People with Schizophrenia

Michele Fonseca Szortyka et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of two different types of physical intervention on sedentary behavior and clinical changes in people with schizophrenia.

Method: This is a clinical trial including people with schizophrenia in regular outpatient care who realized a 3-month exercise protocol and were separated into two groups: aerobic physical intervention (API) and postural physical intervention (PPI). All participants performed an assessment of (a) functional capacity through a 6 min walk test (6MWT), (b) flexibility using Well's bench, (c) disease severity using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), (d) quality of life using the SF-36 Questionnaire and (e) physical activity using the Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (SIMPAQ).

Results: Thirty-eight patients with schizophrenia completed the intervention (24 patients in API and 14 patients in PPI). Regarding sedentary behavior, there was an improvement in the API group in the time exercising and in the PPI group concerning time in bed, time walking and exercising. Regarding quality of life, there was an improvement in the API group (functional capacity) and in the PPI group, there was an improvement in physical limitation, pain and emotional limitations. In the API group, there was an improvement in BMI (body mass index), diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure. Functional capacity was improved only in the PPI group. There was no change in flexibility and disease severity.

Conclusions: The study demonstrated a change response in the physical and mental aspects in people with schizophrenia after a change in sedentary behavior.

Keywords: aerobic exercise; functional capacity; physical health; postural exercise; schizophrenia.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that this research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as potential conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study Flowchart: Aerobic physical intervention (API) and postural physical intervention (PPI) in people with schizophrenia.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Relationship between the distances walked in the 6 min walking test (6MWT) and the upper and lower limit predicted of patients who performed the aerobic physical intervention (API) and 14 cases that performed the postural physical intervention (PPI) in people of schizophrenia.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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