Aerobic Exercise for PTSD

Overseen By Christopher T Webster, M.A.

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Michigan State University

Disqualifiers: Cardiovascular, Metabolic, Orthopedic, Head trauma, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to explore how a single session of aerobic exercise (also known as cardiovascular exercise or fitness training) affects the brain's ability to manage emotions and think clearly in women with PTSD, a condition where past traumatic events cause ongoing distress. Participants will either engage in 20 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise or sit quietly for the same duration. Researchers will measure brain activity and emotional responses before and after these activities. Women with significant PTSD symptoms, identified through a simple questionnaire, may be a good fit for this study. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research on exercise and mental health.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It is best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your healthcare provider.

What prior data suggests that aerobic exercise is safe for individuals with PTSD?

Research has shown that aerobic exercise is generally safe and well-tolerated for people with PTSD. Studies have found that aerobic exercise can lessen PTSD symptoms. Participants often report fewer symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression after exercising. Aerobic activities, such as walking on a treadmill, offer known benefits for both physical and mental health. Participants in these studies did not report major negative effects, suggesting that this type of exercise is a safe choice for those with PTSD. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using aerobic exercise to treat PTSD because it offers a natural, non-pharmacological approach, unlike traditional treatments that often rely on medications, like antidepressants or psychotherapy. This method involves engaging participants in moderate to vigorous physical activity, which can enhance mood and reduce stress through the release of endorphins, a mechanism different from medication. Additionally, aerobic exercise can be easily integrated into daily routines, offering a potentially accessible and low-cost option for individuals with PTSD.

What evidence suggests that aerobic exercise might be an effective treatment for PTSD?

Research has shown that aerobic exercise, which participants in this trial may engage in, can help people with PTSD by easing symptoms like anxiety, depression, and sleep problems. Studies have found that exercise can reduce PTSD symptoms and complement other treatments. Physical activity successfully lowers anxiety and depression in people with PTSD. Evidence suggests that combining exercise with other treatments might be the most effective way to manage PTSD symptoms. ^{4 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adult females with PTSD, scoring over 30 on the PCL-5 questionnaire indicating significant symptoms. They must be able to perform aerobic exercise without restrictions from cardiovascular, metabolic diseases or orthopedic limitations and have no history of severe head trauma, epilepsy, or impairments affecting neurocognitive data collection.

Inclusion Criteria

I scored over 30 on a PTSD screening test.

I am a woman currently experiencing severe PTSD symptoms.

Exclusion Criteria

I have no history of severe head injuries, epilepsy, or impairments that could affect brain function tests.

Using the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q; Adams, 1999), participants will be excluded if they endorse any history of cardiovascular (e.g., Coronary Artery Disease, Heart Failure, High Blood Pressure) or metabolic disease (e.g., Diabetes), or any orthopedic limitations (e.g., Osteoporosis) that may interfere with participating in aerobic exercise.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Intervention

Participants undergo a single session of either 20-minute aerobic exercise or silent sitting, followed by cognitive and emotion regulation tasks

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for immediate effects on cognitive control and emotion regulation

Immediately after intervention

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Aerobic Exercise

Trial Overview The study tests how a single session of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise affects emotion regulation and cognitive control in women with PTSD compared to a control group doing static stretching. Participants' brain activity will be recorded via EEG during tasks before and after the sessions.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Aerobic Exercise Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

During this single session, participants will walk on a treadmill at a moderate-vigorous intensity (65-75% age-predicted HRmax) for 20 minutes. While walking on the treadmill, participants will also watch a 20-minute video clip to match the control condition. Exercise intensity will be continuously monitored using a Polar OH1 heart rate monitor, which will be strapped to the participant's chest prior to starting the exercise session. Age-predicted HRmax will be calculated for each participant using the following formula: (HRmax = 220 - Age). Subjective units of distress related to their perceived exercise intensity will be measured in 3-minute intervals. Following the exercise session, participants will rest until their heart rate returns to within 10% of their resting heart rate (approximately 5 minutes) before starting the post-assessments.

Group II: Silent Sitting Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will be guided by a research assistant through a single silent sitting session, which will serve as a time-matched control. During the sitting session, participants will watch a 20-minute video clip while sitting silently. Similar to the aerobic exercise group, participants' heart rate will be continuously monitored via a Polar OH1 heart rate monitor. Following the sitting session, participants will rest for 5 minutes to match the exercise group before starting the post-assessments.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Michigan State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

202

Recruited

687,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Aerobic exercise may serve as a beneficial addition to traditional PTSD treatments, like exposure therapy, by improving both physical health and enhancing the effectiveness of fear extinction learning, which is crucial for reducing anxiety symptoms.

The review highlights emerging evidence from preclinical and clinical studies that suggest exercise can improve the consolidation and recall of fear extinction memories, indicating a potential new approach to treating PTSD more effectively.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Aerobic exercise in the treatment of PTSD: An examination of preclinical and clinical laboratory findings, potential mechanisms, clinical implications, and future directions. Crombie, KM., Adams, TG., Dunsmoor, JE., et al.[2023]

A 12-session aerobic exercise program significantly reduced symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression in participants, indicating its potential as an effective intervention.

The positive effects of the exercise program were maintained for at least one month after the intervention, suggesting lasting benefits for individuals with treatment-resistant PTSD.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The impact of an exercise program on posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. Manger, TA., Motta, RW.[2005]

A review of 19 studies suggests that aerobic exercise can effectively reduce PTSD symptoms, either on its own or alongside standard treatments.

Potential mechanisms for this improvement include helping individuals cope with internal stress cues, enhancing brain function, promoting neuroplasticity, normalizing stress hormone levels, and lowering inflammation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exercise Intervention in PTSD: A Narrative Review and Rationale for Implementation. Hegberg, NJ., Hayes, JP., Hayes, SM.[2023]

A two-week aerobic exercise program involving 33 participants with PTSD led to clinically significant reductions in PTSD severity for 89% of the participants, indicating that aerobic exercise can be an effective treatment for PTSD symptoms.

While all exercise groups experienced reduced PTSD symptoms, those focusing on their bodily sensations during exercise showed less improvement compared to those who were distracted or had no specific focus, suggesting that distraction may enhance the therapeutic effects of exercise.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Aerobic Exercise Reduces Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Fetzner, MG., Asmundson, GJ.[2022]

In a study of 108 individuals with severe PTSD undergoing an intensive 8-day trauma-focused treatment program, participants showed significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and a reduction in PTSD symptoms.

Despite the observed increase in CRF, the study found no direct link between improvements in fitness levels and the effectiveness of PTSD treatment, suggesting that other factors may play a more critical role in symptom reduction.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness are not significantly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder symptom reduction in intensive treatment. Voorendonk, EM., Sanches, SA., De Jongh, A., et al.[2020]

A study involving 130 adults with PTSD found that adding 10 minutes of aerobic exercise to exposure therapy significantly reduced PTSD severity compared to exposure therapy with passive stretching, with a moderate effect size of 0.6 after 6 months.

No adverse events were reported, suggesting that brief aerobic exercise is a safe and effective way to enhance the benefits of exposure therapy for PTSD.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Augmenting trauma-focused psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder with brief aerobic exercise in Australia: a randomised clinical trial. Bryant, RA., Dawson, KS., Azevedo, S., et al.[2022]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11749738/

Effects of physical activity on patients with posttraumatic ... It was discovered that people with PTSD can benefit from physical activity as an adjuvant method to enhance their PTSD, anxiety, despair, and sleep quality.

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1755296625000079

Effects of an exercise and sport intervention on symptoms ... This study aimed to examine the effects of an exercise and sport intervention primarily on PTSD but also on symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and well- ...

3. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.943479/full

Is exercise/physical activity effective at reducing symptoms ... The limited evidence suggests that a combined exercise intervention has the best evidence for a having a beneficial effect on PTSD symptoms.

4. onlinelibrary.wiley.com onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2023/4294753

Physical Activity and Exercise as a Tool to Cure Anxiety ... The study found that treating PTSD symptoms with exercise was successful in lessening PTSD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms [103]. The third ...

5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6437073/

Exercise Intervention in PTSD: A Narrative Review and ... The results indicated that the aerobic exercise training, regardless of attentional focus, reduced total self-reported PTSD symptoms on a ...

6. journals.lww.com journals.lww.com/md-journal/fulltext/2025/01170/effects_of_physical_activity_on_patients_with.63.aspx

Effects of physical activity on patients with posttraumatic .. ... Some studies have also shown that aerobic exercise can reduce PTSD symptoms, 34 , 35 while others have shown that its efficacy is no better than ...

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1744388125000696

Optimal exercise dosage and type for improving post ... Emerging evidence suggests exercise may be effective in alleviating PTSD symptoms. This systematic review and network meta-analysis aimed to identify the most ...

8. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1215250/full

Adding physical activity to intensive trauma-focused ... Aerobic exercise reduces symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized controlled trial. Cogn. Behav. Ther. 44, 301–313. doi ...