Comparing the health benefits of green exercise and indoor exercise in addiction treatment

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore any differences in health benefits gained through green exercise versus indoor exercise in persons undergoing addiction rehabilitation. As the importance of physical exercise is being increasingly recognised in recovering persons, and green exercise is proving to have added health benefits over non-green exercise, synergistic gains from exercising in nature may be a valuable contribution in the challenging process of addiction recovery. The research methodology employed a sequential mixed-method research design. The first research question, whether green exercise has a stronger effect on mood than indoor exercise in recovering persons, was investigated quantitatively amongst a sample of 10 participants undergoing residential addiction rehabilitation at Oasi in Gozo, Malta. A pretest-post test repeated measures quasi-experimental design was engaged, where Profile of Mood States was used to compare mood of the participants performing an identical exercise routine in a natural green outdoor environment against an indoor environment. Data collected was analysed using SPSS. The second research question which sought if green exercise has added health benefits compared to indoor exercise in recovering persons, was explored qualitatively using semi-structured interviews amongst five participants who had performed the exercise sessions. The data collected was analysed using thematic analysis. The results may suggest that green exercise has a greater impact on mood, emotions, mental and social functioning than indoor exercise in recovering persons. Although the evidence is inconclusive, persons in recovery could be encouraged to engage in more frequent green exercise, to take advantage of its additional health benefits.