ORIGINAL ARTICLE  PSYCHOLOGY 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2018 July-August;58(7-8):1171-7

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.17.07284-X

Copyright © 2017 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

A randomized trial of the effects of an aquatic exercise program on depression, anxiety levels, and functional capacity of people who suffered an ischemic stroke

Felipe J. AIDAR ^{1, 2, 3, 4} ✉, Ricardo JACÓ de OLIVEIRA ⁵, Dihogo GAMA de MATOS ^{4, 6}, Philip D. CHILIBECK ⁷, Raphael F. de SOUZA ^{1, 4}, André L. CARNEIRO ^{6, 8}, Victor MACHADO REIS ^{6, 9}

¹ Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil; ² Brazilian Paralympic Academy, Brazilian Paralympic Committee, Brasilia, Brazil; ³ Department of Graduation Program in Physical Education, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil; ⁴ Deparment of Studies and Research of Performance, Sport, Health and Paralympic Sports - GEPEPS, the Federal University of Sergipe - UFS, São Cristovão, Brazil; ⁵ University of Brasília-Unb, Brasilia, Brazil; ⁶ Department of Sports Science, Exercise and Health of the Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro University, Vila Real, Portugal; ⁷ College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; ⁸ State University at Montes Claros (UNIMONTES), Montes Claros, Brazil; ⁹ Sport Research Center, Health and Human Development (CIDESD), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal

BACKGROUND: Aquatic exercise programs are used in rehabilitation and might help to reduce disability after stroke. This was a randomized intervention trial to assess the influence of an aquatic exercise program on people suffering from depression and anxiety after ischemic stroke.
METHODS: Participants were randomized to an experimental group (EG) composed of 19 individuals (51.8±8.5 years; ten males and nine females), and a control group (CG) composed of 17 people (52.7±6.7 years; nine males and eight females). The aquatic exercise program consisted of two sessions per week, each lasting between 45 and 60 minutes and divided into 5 to 10 minutes exercise sections during 12 weeks. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to determine anxiety levels while the Beck Depression Inventory was used as a self-assessment of depression.
RESULTS: EG improved measures of depression, anxiety trait and anxiety state between pre- and post-treatment, with no changes in CG. EG improved in all tests related to functional capacity compared to CG.
CONCLUSIONS: The practice of aquatic exercises promotes improvements in the levels of depression and anxiety in people who suffered an ischemic stroke.

KEY WORDS: Stroke - Exercise - Rehabilitation