Lichaamsbeweging doet wonden sneller helen.*

Wanneer ouderen aan lichaamsbeweging doen, genezen hun wonden sneller. Dat blijkt uit een onderzoek dat recent gepubliceerd werd in de Journal of Gerontology. Snelle wondgenezing is zeker bij ouderen belangrijk, aangezien die de kans op infectie verkleint.
In het kader van het onderzoek werd bij een aantal ouderen een lichte steekwonde in de bovenarm aangebracht. De ene groep moest drie keer per week oefenen (10 minuten opwarmen en rekken, 30 minuten op de hometrainer, 15 minuten op loopband, 15 minuten krachttraining en 5 minuten "cooling down"), de andere groep deed niets.
Drie keer per week werd het genezingsproces van de wonde beoordeeld. Die bleek veel sneller te helen bij de ouderen die aan lichaamsbeweging deden. In de actieve groep genas de wonde in gemiddeld 29 dagen, tegenover 39 dagen in de controlegroep.

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

Charles F. Emery^1,2,5,6,, Janice K. Kiecolt-Glaser^1,3,5,6, Ronald Glaser^4,5,6, William B. Malarkey^2,4,5,6 and David J. Frid²

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@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.  (april 2006)