Impact of structured exercise interventions on health outcomes in drug rehabilitation patients: a comparative study of open and closed exercises

Abstract

Background This study investigates the effects of open and closed exercise interventions on the physical and mental health of individuals undergoing substance use disorder (SUD). We examined changes in tendency of recurrence of use, vital capacity (VC), resting heart rate (RHR), sleep quality, and choice reaction time. Methods Conducted over six months at the drug rehabilitation center, 95 participants were randomly assigned to closed exercise, open exercise, or control group. Outcome measures were taken at baseline, three months, and six months. Results Both exercise groups showed significant improvements in reduction of return-to-use risk and VC compared to baseline. Open exercise groups showed earlier significant improvements in risk of return to use at three months. No significant changes were observed in RHR. Both exercise groups showed significant improvements in sleep quality, with the open exercise group also showing significant improvements in choice reaction time. At six months, both exercise groups showed significant improvements over the control group in tendency of recurrence of use, VC, and sleep quality, with no significant differences between the exercise groups. Conclusions Both exercise interventions led to significant improvements in reducing the risk of return to substance use, VC, sleep quality, and choice reaction time, with the open exercise group showing the most pronounced effects in choice reaction time.