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Exercise accelerates wound healing among healthy older adults: a preliminary investigation
Emery CF, Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Glaser R, Malarkey WB, Frid DJ
The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 2005 Nov;60(11):1432-1436
clinical trial
5/10 [Eligibility criteria: No; Random allocation: Yes; Concealed allocation: No; Baseline comparability: Yes; Blind subjects: No; Blind therapists: No; Blind assessors: Yes; Adequate follow-up: No; Intention-to-treat analysis: No; Between-group comparisons: Yes; Point estimates and variability: Yes. Note: Eligibility criteria item does not contribute to total score] *This score has been confirmed*

BACKGROUND: Older adults are likely to experience delayed rates of wound healing, impaired neuroendocrine responsiveness, and increased daily stress. Exercise activity has been shown to have a positive effect on physiological functioning and psychological functioning among older adults. This study evaluated the effect of a 3-month exercise program on wound healing, neuroendocrine function, and perceived stress among healthy older adults. METHODS: Twenty-eight healthy older adults (mean age 61.0 +/- 5.5 years) were assigned randomly to an exercise activity group (n = 13) or to a nonexercise control group (n = 15). One month following baseline randomization, after exercise participants had acclimated to the exercise routine, all participants underwent an experimental wound procedure. Wounds were measured 3 times per week until healed to calculate rate of wound healing. All participants completed assessments of exercise endurance, salivary cortisol, and self-reported stress prior to randomization and at the conclusion of the intervention. RESULTS: Exercise participants achieved significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, as reflected by increased oxygen consumption (VO2max) and exercise duration. Wound healing occurred at a significantly faster rate in the exercise group (mean 29.2 (9.0) days) than in the nonexercise group (38.9 (7.4) days; p = 0.012). Exercise participants also experienced increased cortisol secretion during stress testing following the intervention. Group differences in wound healing and neuroendocrine responsiveness were found despite low levels of self-reported stress. CONCLUSIONS: A relatively short-term exercise intervention is associated with enhanced rates of wound healing among healthy older adults. Thus, exercise activity may be an important component of health care to promote wound healing.
Copyright the Gerontological Society of America. Reproduced by permission of the publisher.

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