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Exercise Accelerates Wound Healing Among Healthy Older Adults: A Preliminary Investigation

Departments of ¹ Psychology, ² Internal Medicine, ³ Psychiatry, ⁴ Molecular Virology, Immunology, and Medical Genetics
⁵ Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research; and ⁶ Comprehensive Cancer Center; The Ohio State University, Columbus.

Address correspondence to Charles F. Emery, PhD, Departments of Psychology and Internal Medicine, 1885 Neil Avenue, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210. E-mail: emery.33{at}osu.edu

Background. Older adults are likely to experience delayed rates of wound healing, impaired neuroendocrine responsiveness, and increased daily stress. Exercise activity has been shown to have a positive effect on physiological functioning and psychological functioning among older adults. This study evaluated the effect of a 3-month exercise program on wound healing, neuroendocrine function, and perceived stress among healthy older adults.

Methods. Twenty-eight healthy older adults (mean age 61.0 ± 5.5 years) were assigned randomly to an exercise activity group (n = 13) or to a nonexercise control group (n = 15). One month following baseline randomization, after exercise participants had acclimated to the exercise routine, all participants underwent an experimental wound procedure. Wounds were measured 3 times per week until healed to calculate rate of wound healing. All participants completed assessments of exercise endurance, salivary cortisol, and self-reported stress prior to randomization and at the conclusion of the intervention.

Results. Exercise participants achieved significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, as reflected by increased oxygen consumption (VO₂max) and exercise duration. Wound healing occurred at a significantly faster rate in the exercise group [mean = 29.2 (9.0) days] than in the nonexercise group [38.9 (7.4) days; p =.012]. Exercise participants also experienced increased cortisol secretion during stress testing following the intervention. Group differences in wound healing and neuroendocrine responsiveness were found despite low levels of self-reported stress.

Conclusions. A relatively short-term exercise intervention is associated with enhanced rates of wound healing among healthy older adults. Thus, exercise activity may be an important component of health care to promote wound healing.

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				L. Ferrucci and E. M. Simonsick A Little Exercise J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., November 1, 2006; 61(11): 1154 - 1156. [Full Text] [PDF]