Healing in Motion

Source: George Pagan/Unsplash

We all know that physical activity is good for us. We may measure it in step counts, miles, or minutes, some with more precision than others. We may even try to follow the guidelines outlined by organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association that indicate moderate exercise for 30 minutes, five days a week, is helpful to stay healthy.

People often think of physical activity as a tool for physical health, but hopefully, many of you also know that it supports whole-body health and that the mental health benefits of physical activity are just as strong as the physical health benefits. In fact, countless studies have shown the value of exercise as medicine to treat depression, anxiety, and more. A meta-analysis of exercise treatment for depression has shown that people who engage in 30 minutes of at least moderate exercise five days a week have seen benefits similar to those of antidepressant medication or psychotherapy (1). Similar support exists for treating anxiety (2).

Source: Charles Cheng/Unsplash

I have experienced firsthand the healing benefits of physical activity, and I regularly turn to movement as a way to get unstuck, balance my mood, or help to grieve when I have lost a loved one.

Support grows for the use of physical activity as a tool for healing among trauma survivors with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most research focuses on exercise as an augmentation to trauma therapy treatment. Specifically, a systematic review and meta-analysis of physical exercise in the treatment of PTSD showed that a wide range of physical activity could be beneficial in reducing PTSD symptoms and more exercise generally resulted in greater symptom reduction (3). This suggests that for clinicians treating patients with PTSD, encouraging physical activity outside of session, in addition to other treatment recommendations, could have a significant positive effect on outcomes. There is also support for body-focused interventions that include physical activity, like trauma-sensitive yoga (4).

Source: Conscious design/Unsplash

However, it is important to recognize that trauma survivors often do not have equal access to physical activity engagement, in part because of the trauma they have experienced and the lasting results (e.g., sexual or domestic violence, limited income) (5). Barriers to physical activity (safe spaces, equipment, etc.) may be overlooked by many or, when barriers are noticed, trauma survivors may not be encouraged to pursue exercise as medicine. Efforts should increase for trauma-informed practices within this space. That may mean helping non-clinicians learn about trauma-informed practices and having community-wide efforts to safely support trauma survivors.

Source: Nature Zen/Unsplash

Research led by Dr. Francine Darroch has highlighted this need and offers one potential solution through trauma- and violence-informed physical activity (TVIPA), a community-engaged approach that calls for addressing intersecting effects of systemic, structural, and interpersonal violence across the development, implementation, and delivery of physical activity programs (5). TVIPA emphasizes trauma awareness, safety and trustworthiness, autonomy, collaboration and connection, and a strengths-based approach. Dr. Michelle Pebole et al. (6) also highlight the particular needs of women who are sexual trauma survivors when considering physical activity interventions. They note that it is necessary to step away from "one-size-fits-all" exercise interventions and instead move toward thoughtful, trauma-informed strategies for effectively engaging different trauma populations in low-cost, low-stigma physical activity interventions. Efforts like this will continue to push the needle in the right direction, better support ways for anyone to safely access the healing benefits of movement, and add one more tool to our toolbox of strategies to promote well-being within trauma-exposed communities.