From withdrawal to motivation: The feasibility, acceptability and early clinical benefits of adapted physical activity during inpatient alcohol withdrawal.
Physical activity (PA) may improve physical and mental health in alcohol use disorder (AUD), yet poor adherence limits its clinical impact. Inpatient alcohol withdrawal represents a critical window for initiating health behavior change, although patients are often encouraged to rest.
We evaluated whether supervised adapted physical activity (APA) can be feasibly implemented during inpatient withdrawal care and whether it influences short-term health and exercise engagement and motivation compared with free access to a PA room (FPA).
In this real-world study, 64 participants with severe AUD (26.5% women; mean age = 45.8 ± 11 years) completed pre- and post-assessments during a three-week inpatient withdrawal program. Participants were sequentially allocated to supervised APA or FPA with general advice. Feasibility (attendance and adverse events), session satisfaction, health outcomes (anxiety, depressive symptoms, self-esteem, craving, sleep quality, and physical functional capacity), and PA motivation (amotivation, extrinsic, and intrinsic motivation) were assessed after acute withdrawal at hospital discharge (post-test).
APA participants engaged in significantly more PA (p < 0.05), with high levels of session satisfaction (median = 8.86 and 8.83/10), and an attendance rate of 83%. Health outcomes and amotivation improved over time in both groups (p < 0.001), without group-by-time interaction. Motivation showed a significant group and interaction effect (p < 0.05): APA participants scored higher post-test, while FPA participants decreased in extrinsic motivation (p = 0.013). Intention-to-treat analyses revealed consistent findings.
Implementing supervised APA during early withdrawal treatment is feasible and acceptable. While short-term clinical improvements were similar across groups, APA strengthened motivational processes relevant to PA engagement during recovery.
We evaluated whether supervised adapted physical activity (APA) can be feasibly implemented during inpatient withdrawal care and whether it influences short-term health and exercise engagement and motivation compared with free access to a PA room (FPA).
In this real-world study, 64 participants with severe AUD (26.5% women; mean age = 45.8 ± 11 years) completed pre- and post-assessments during a three-week inpatient withdrawal program. Participants were sequentially allocated to supervised APA or FPA with general advice. Feasibility (attendance and adverse events), session satisfaction, health outcomes (anxiety, depressive symptoms, self-esteem, craving, sleep quality, and physical functional capacity), and PA motivation (amotivation, extrinsic, and intrinsic motivation) were assessed after acute withdrawal at hospital discharge (post-test).
APA participants engaged in significantly more PA (p < 0.05), with high levels of session satisfaction (median = 8.86 and 8.83/10), and an attendance rate of 83%. Health outcomes and amotivation improved over time in both groups (p < 0.001), without group-by-time interaction. Motivation showed a significant group and interaction effect (p < 0.05): APA participants scored higher post-test, while FPA participants decreased in extrinsic motivation (p = 0.013). Intention-to-treat analyses revealed consistent findings.
Implementing supervised APA during early withdrawal treatment is feasible and acceptable. While short-term clinical improvements were similar across groups, APA strengthened motivational processes relevant to PA engagement during recovery.
Authors
Barraud Barraud, Laniepce Laniepce, Cabe Cabe, Segobin Segobin, Pitel Pitel, Cabe Cabe
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