6,662
Views
69
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Review Article

A systematic review of physical therapy interventions for patients with anorexia and bulemia nervosa

, , , , , , , , & show all
Pages 628-634 | Received 06 Feb 2013, Accepted 21 May 2013, Published online: 04 Jul 2013
 

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to summarise the evidence from randomised controlled trials examining the effectiveness of physical therapy compared with care as usual or a wait-list condition on eating pathology and on physiological and psychological parameters in patients with anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Method: EMBASE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Physiotherapy Evidence Database and The Cochrane Library were searched from their inception until February, 2013. Articles were eligible if they utilised a randomised controlled trial design, compared physical therapy with a placebo condition, control intervention, or standard care and included patients with anorexia and bulimia nervosa. The methodological quality was assessed with the Jadad scale. Results: Eight randomised controlled trials involving 213 patients (age range: 16–36 years) met all selection criteria. Three of the 8 included studies were of strong methodological quality (Jadad score≥3). Major methodological weaknesses were attrition and selection bias. The main results demonstrate that aerobic and resistance training result in significantly increased muscle strength, body mass index and body fat percentage in anorexia patients. In addition, aerobic exercise, yoga, massage and basic body awareness therapy significantly lowered scores of eating pathology and depressive symptoms in both anorexia and bulimia nervosa patients. No adverse effects were reported. Conclusions: The paucity and heterogeneity of available studies limits overall conclusions and highlights the need for further research.

    Implications for Rehabilitation

  • Supervised physical therapy might increase weight in anorexia nervosa patients.

  • Aerobic exercise, massage, basic body awareness therapy and yoga might reduce eating pathology in patients with anorexia and bulimia nervosa.

  • Aerobic exercise, yoga and basic body awareness therapy might improve mental and physical quality of life in patients with an eating disorder.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.