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While physical activity is considered an important part of treatment for people with schizophrenia, little is known about their views on how to successfully commit to an exercise habit over time. This study explored experiences of motivators to start and maintain regular exercise among people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Five men and six women with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, 25–62 years old, who had been exercising for at least 6 months, were interviewed using a semi-structured guide. Interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The positive experiences that the participants immediately felt in their bodies were the main motivator for exercise. These experiences were recalled and longed for in between bouts and consisted of physical sensations, mental well-being, and improved self-esteem. This experience-based driving force enabled the participants to pursue exercise despite sometimes feeling low, lacking resources, or struggling with side effects of medication. The positive change in body experience following exercise could be emphasised more when promoting exercise to people with schizophrenia. Exploring the instant body responses can keep up the drive and create hope for more long-term health effects. Physiotherapists have an important role in guiding patients to recognise and interpret body experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Although the effectiveness of physical exercise for depression has been studied for many years, few studies have described patients' experiences of what exercise means to them, beyond the biological focus. Moreover, exercise as a treatment for depression is rarely explored in a physical therapy context. Objectives. The purpose of this study was to explore a physical therapy exercise intervention, as experienced by people with major depression. Design. This study had an inductive approach and used qualitative content analysis. Methods. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 13 people who participated in physical therapist-guided aerobic exercise in a randomized controlled trial. All participants were diagnosed with major depression according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Data were collected and analyzed in an inductive manner using qualitative content analysis according to Graneheim and Lundman. Results. Pour categories emerged: (1) struggling toward a healthy self, (2) challenging the resistance, (3) feeling alive but not euphoric, and (4) needing someone to be there for you. The participants experienced that although the exercise intervention was hard work, it enhanced the feeling of being alive and made them feel that they were doing something good for themselves. These feelings were a welcome contrast to the numbness and stagnation they experienced during depression. Limitations. The study was conducted in Swedish primary care. Transferability of results must be viewed in relation to context. Conclusions. Exercise in a physical therapy context can improve the patients' perception of their physical ability and create a sense of liveliness, improving their depressed state. The therapeutic relationship is essential for supporting the patient's vulnerability and ambiguity in an empathic and perceptive way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the quality of evidence for exercise in the treatment of major depression, comparing specific study types; aerobic exercise vs. antidepressants, aerobic exercise vs. any physical activity, and aerobic exercise as augmentation therapy to treatment as usual vs. treatment as usual. Methods: Electronic searches for randomized controlled studies, reporting on treatment outcome in adults with major depression confirmed by a clinical interview. Quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading and Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation and an additional risk of bias-protocol. Results: Fourteen eligible studies were retrieved, of which nine had low risk of bias. We found moderate quality of evidence that aerobic exercise has no significant effect compared to antidepressants. We found moderate quality of evidence that aerobic exercise at a moderate to high intensity has no significant effect compared to other forms of physical activity. We found low quality of evidence that exercise as augmentation to treatment as usual has a small effect - depression scores were on average 0.44 of a standard deviation lower - compared to treatment as usual. Conclusion: In general, exercise appears to be beneficial in the treatment of depression when used in combination with medication. A significant issue that is not well addressed in previous studies is the risks associated with exercise. Further, this review indicates that aerobic exercise is not more effective than other types of physical activity, pointing to a need to further investigate active components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]