@article{ref1,
title="Hiking in suicidal patients: Neutral effects on markers of suicidality",
journal="American journal of medicine",
year="2013",
author="Neunhäuserer, Daniel and Sturm, Josef and Baumgartlinger, Mira M. and Niederseer, David and Ledl-Kurkowski, Eveline and Steidle, Eva and Ploderl, Martin and Fartacek, Clemens and Kralovec, Karl and Fartacek, Reinhold and Niebauer, Josef",
volume="126",
number="10",
pages="927-930",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Regular physical activity promotes physical and mental health. Psychiatric patients are prone to a sedentary lifestyle, and accumulating evidence has identified physical activity as a supplemental treatment option.   METHODS: This prospective, randomized, crossover study evaluated the effects of hiking in high-risk suicidal patients (n = 20) who performed 9 weeks of hiking (2-3 hikes/week, 2-2.5 hours each) and a 9-week control period.   RESULTS: All patients participated in the required 2 hikes per week and thus showed a compliance of 100%. Regular hiking led to significant improvement in maximal exercise capacity (hiking period Δ: +18.82 ± 0.99 watt, P < .001; control period: P = .134) and in aerobic capability at 70% of the individual heart rate reserve (hiking period Δ: +8.47 ± 2.22 watt; P = .010; control period: P = .183). Cytokines, associated previously with suicidality (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, S100), remained essentially unchanged.   CONCLUSIONS: Hiking is an effective and safe form of exercise training even in high-risk suicidal patients. It leads to a significant improvement in maximal exercise capacity and aerobic capability without concomitant deterioration of markers of suicidality. Offering this popular mode of exercise to these patients might help them to adopt a physically more active lifestyle.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0002-9343",
doi="10.1016/j.amjmed.2013.05.008",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2013.05.008"
}