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A Study on the Effects of Breathing Exercises and Aerobic Exercise on the Health of Men in Drug Rehabilitation

A Study on the Effects of 8 Weeks of Resistance and Respiratory Training Combined With Aerobic Exercise on Physical Health and Quality of Life in Male Drug Rehabilitation Patients

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07592195
Enrollment
90
Registered
2026-05-18
Start date
2026-04-01
Completion date
2026-06-30
Last updated
2026-05-18

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Disorders, Substance Related

Brief summary

This study aims to investigate the effects of an 8-week combined exercise program on male individuals in drug rehabilitation. The program integrates resistance-based breathing training with aerobic exercise. The investigators seek to determine whether this combined exercise program is more effective than a single form of exercise in improving participants' physical health and quality of life. The primary research questions to be addressed include: Does this combined exercise program produce better results than single-form training (resistance-based breathing training or aerobic exercise performed separately) in improving physiological indicators such as cardiopulmonary function and muscle strength in male individuals in drug rehabilitation? Does this combined exercise program yield greater benefits than single-form training in reducing anxiety and depression and improving quality of life among men in drug rehabilitation? This study will conduct a randomized controlled trial. Researchers will compare three different intervention groups-the combined training group, the resistance-breathing training group, and the aerobic exercise group-to verify the potential advantages of the combined program over single-form exercise. Participants will: Complete an 8-week exercise intervention, consisting of three sessions per week, each lasting approximately 40 minutes, under professional guidance and supervision. Undergo comprehensive assessments before and after the intervention, including cardiopulmonary function tests, body composition analysis, and questionnaires on mental health and quality of life.

Detailed description

1. Exploration and Standardization of a Combined Exercise Program Tailored for Drug Rehabilitation Facilities. This section forms the foundation of the study and aims to develop an 8-week combined exercise program that is safe, effective, and easy to implement, specifically tailored to the environment and characteristics of residents in compulsory isolation drug rehabilitation centers. The content not only covers specific methods for integrating resistance-based breathing exercises with aerobic exercises (such as sequence, frequency, intensity, and duration) but also focuses on designing standardized operating procedures. These include concise instructions for participants, demonstration videos, key safety monitoring points (such as using the Borg Subjective Fatigue Scale or heart rate monitoring), and contingency plans for addressing common issues. The goal is to produce a "ready-to-use" guidebook that lays a solid foundation for subsequent implementation. 2. Empirical Validation and Comparison of the Combined Exercise Program's Efficacy. This section constitutes the core of the study, aiming to empirically validate the actual effectiveness of this combined program for male individuals in the drug rehabilitation phase through a randomized controlled trial. Effectiveness evaluation will be entirely centered on the application objectives. It will primarily include: ① Physical Health: Focusing on verifying its effectiveness in improving areas of weakness among drug rehabilitation participants, such as cardiopulmonary function, muscle strength, and body composition; ② Mental Health and Quality of Life: Focusing on its positive impact on core rehabilitation goals such as anxiety and depression, sleep quality, and drug craving. The investigators will employ a controlled design with a combined-training group and a single-training group to address a key practical question: Does this combined program produce a "1+1\>2" synergistic effect compared with single-modality resistance-breathing training or aerobic exercise, thereby offering greater practical value?

Interventions

DEVICEResistance Breathing Training

Warm-up (5 minutes) → Threshold resistance breathing trainer (30 minutes) → Cool-down stretches (5 minutes).During joint training, each session lasts 15 minutes.

BEHAVIORALAerobic Exercise

Warm-up (5 minutes) → Main exercise (30 minutes, at 65%-85% of maximum heart rate or a Borg RPE score of 12-14) → Cool-down and stretching (5 minutes).During joint training sessions, each training session lasts 15 minutes.

Sponsors

Southwest Medical University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to 50 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Male, aged 18 to 50 years, able to understand and comply with the study protocol * Meets the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for substance use disorder; in rehabilitation for ≥1 month; withdrawal symptoms are stable (confirmed by medical staff) * No severe cardiovascular/cerebrovascular disease, respiratory disease, musculoskeletal injury, or other contraindications to physical activity * Basic reading and writing ability to independently complete questionnaire assessments * Voluntarily signed informed consent and committed to complying with the 8-week training program

Exclusion criteria

: * Presence of contraindications to exercise (e.g., recent fracture, severe arrhythmia, uncontrolled hypertension) * Concurrent severe mental disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, acute depressive episode) or currently receiving unstable psychiatric medication * Currently participating in other intervention studies or clinical trials * Expected training compliance rate \<70% (e.g., unable to complete the 8-week intervention due to transfer or disciplinary action) * Unable to continue participation for personal reasons (e.g., early discharge, serious disciplinary violation)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Quality of Life Scale for Drug AddictsBaseline (Week 0), after the intervention (Week 9)Minimum score: 41, Maximum score: 205.Higher scores indicate worse quality of life and more severe impairment in physical, psychological, social, and withdrawal-related symptoms.
6-Minute Walk TestBaseline (Week 0), after the intervention (Week 9)The maximum distance a subject can cover in 6 minutes while walking at maximum speed along a 30-meter flat corridor. This test is used to assess cardiopulmonary function and exercise endurance during submaximal exercise.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
BMIBaseline (Week 0), after the intervention (Week 9)Weight (kg) and height (m) will be combined and reported as BMI, expressed in kg/m²
Body CompositionBaseline (Week 0), after the intervention (Week 9)Data was measured and analyzed using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) with a body composition analyzer (MC-780MA, TANITA), including: body fat mass, skeletal muscle mass, body water, visceral fat, and basal metabolic rate.
Symptom Checklist-90Baseline (Week 0), after the intervention (Week 9)Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90); range 90-450; higher scores = worse mental health. Dimensions: somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, psychoticism, sleep and eating.
Vital CapacityBaseline (Week 0), after the intervention (Week 9)A spirometer is used to measure the maximum volume of air a subject can exhale after taking a deep breath. This measurement is used to assess lung ventilation function. The unit of measurement is milliliters (mL).

Countries

China

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: May 19, 2026