New training program against depression

New sports program: doctors say depression with sport is the fight

05/05/2012

At the Hannover Medical School (MHH), psychiatrists and sports scientists have jointly presented a new sports program for patients with depression. On Friday, the starting signal for testing the training program was fired at the MHH „Active from the mood low“. The sports program was conceived for implementation in sports clubs and is intended to help the approximately four million depression patients in Germany tackle their illness in everyday life.

training program „Active from the mood low“ should help depressives
If the newly developed sports program shows the desired success, sports clubs throughout Germany could make a significant contribution to the treatment of depression in the future. Designed specifically for people with depression training program is based essentially on moderate endurance training, for example „Walking, light running training and playful exercises“ Part of the program „Active from the mood low“ are the sports scientist Dr. Olaf Hoos from the Philipps University Marburg. According to the current MHH message, sufferers „an estimated four million people in Germany“ in a treatable form of widespread depression „It is well known that many sufferers are helped by exercise. Unfortunately, the wide spread of the disease is only offset by a low supply of specific sports and exercise therapies“, explained Professor Marc Ziegenbein, Deputy Director of the MHH Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. The newly developed sports program for Depressed offers here remedy and „Participants will also receive information on how they can make their own training in the long term“, so Dr. Olaf Hoos continues.

Reduction of depressive symptoms through new sports program
The scientists emphasized at the presentation of the new sports program for Depressed, it was desirable that low-threshold offers find their place in the daily life of sports clubs, since not only the movement in itself has a positive effect on the disease, but the club sport also to a better social Integration and de-stigmatization of patients. The effect of the program is now in the sports club „SV Eintracht Hannover“ tested on 50 patients, where the participants meet three times a week for training sessions of 45 to 60 minutes. The sports activities should be achieved according to researchers hope primarily reduction of depressive symptoms and an improved body sensation. „In addition, the risk of cardiovascular diseases should be reduced by increasing physical fitness“, so the statement in the press release of the MHH. Furthermore, the self-assessment of the depressives in relation to the health-promoting aspects of the sport is promoted and the patients learn to continue the exercise program independently. The control group is provided by the riot police Würzburg, where a corresponding number of participants also completed the program.

Training module for clinics, sports clubs and health facilities
From testing the training program „Active from the mood low“ The researchers also hope for clues, „which type of exercise and which intensity of exercise are particularly suitable for concomitant therapy of depression“, explained Professor Dr. Petra Garlipp, Managing Director of the MHH Clinic for Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. The aim is „a proven training module that can be used by other clinics, sports clubs and health facilities“, so the press release of the MHH. In this way, depression patients could be given greater access to specially designed exercise and exercise programs. The researchers hope that in the future the program „Active from the mood low“ just as everyday life in the clubs is such as back exercises or courses for heart patients.

Integration of sports clubs is a good idea
The Head of the Department of Sport Psychiatry of the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Neurology and Director of the Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics at the University Hospital Aachen, Prof. Frank Schneider, told the news agency regarding the project „dpa“, it was „a really good idea to get the sports clubs on board.“ For in psychiatric clinics sports activities in the context of physiotherapy are a natural part of any treatment, but in the outpatient area corresponding exercise programs for the mentally ill are missing, so Prof. Schneider.

The program was developed by psychiatrists of the MHH Clinic for Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy as well as sports scientists from the Universities of Würzburg and Marburg. The training method is now being tested in cooperation with a sports club from Hanover and financially supported by the Robert Enke Foundation. (Fp)

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Image: Professor Petra Garlipp, dr. Olaf Hoos, Teresa Enke, Professor Marc Ziegenbein, Rolf Jägersberg and Rita Girschikofsky