The Effects of Green Exercise on Chronic Pain, Physical and Mental Health

Year 2021, Issue: 14, 351 - 362, 31.08.2021

Ebru Durusoy , Rıfat Mutuş

https://doi.org/10.38079/igusabder.939915

Cited By: 1

Abstract

The activity practised in the natural environment is named green exercise. It is known that regular physical activity and exercise have many protective, curative and preventive health benefits. The green exercise concept meets the synergistic benefits of nature and exercise. The aim of this study is to present the effects of green exercise on chronic pain, physical and mental health by searching the literature. It is concluded that spending time in easily accessible, natural and pleasant environments with high biodiversity provides physiological, psychological and social well-being and is effective in increasing the quality of life. Green exercise also contributes to the development of people's positive attitudes to the environment. In the studies, it is clearly seen that green exercise provides multifaceted psychological, hormonal and neuroimmunological benefits and is a method which is compatible with the biopsychosocial approach. As a result, it has been revealed that the green exercise recipes of this exercise approach which contributes to sustainable health and the environment, should be further supported by the protection of natural environments, evidence-based research and incentives.

Keywords

Green exercise, nature, chronic pain, mental, physical health

Yeşil Egzersizin Kronik Ağrıya, Fiziksel ve Mental Sağlığa Etkileri

Abstract

Doğal ortamlarda gerçekleştirilen fiziksel aktivite yeşil egzersiz olarak adlandırılmaktadır. Düzenli fiziksel aktivite ve egzersizin sağlık açısından koruyucu, iyileştirici ve önleyici birçok yararı olduğu bilinmektedir. Doğanın ve egzersizin sinerjik faydalarını ise yeşil egzersiz kavramı karşılamaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, literatür taraması yaparak yeşil egzersizin kronik ağrıya, fiziksel ve mental sağlığa etkilerini ortaya koymaktır. Kolay erişilebilen, biyoçeşitliliği fazla olan doğal ve hoş ortamlarda vakit geçirmenin fizyolojik, psikolojik ve sosyal refahı sağladığı, yaşam kalitesinin artmasında etkili olduğu görülmektedir. Yeşil egzersiz ayrıca insanların çevreye karşı olumlu tutumlarının da gelişmesine katkı sağlamaktadır. Yapılan çalışmalarda yeşil egzersizin psikolojik, hormonal ve nöroimmünolojik çok boyutlu yararlar sağladığı, biyopsikososyal yaklaşımla uyumlu bir yöntem olduğu açıkça görülmektedir. Sonuç olarak, sürdürülebilir sağlığa ve çevreye katkısı olan bu egzersiz yaklaşımının yeşil egzersiz reçeteleri, doğal ortamların korunması, kanıta dayalı araştırmalar ve teşviklerle daha çok desteklenmesi gerektiği ortaya konmuştur.

Keywords

Yeşil egzersiz, doğa, kronik ağrı, mental, fiziksel sağlık

References

• Vuori I. World health organization and physical activity. Progress in Preventive Medicine. 2018;3(1):e0012.
• World Health Organization. Global action plan on physical activity 2018–2030: more active people for a healthier world. https://www.who.int/ncds/prevention/physical-activity/global-action-plan-2018-2030/en/. Published 2018. Accessed March 20, 2021.
• Lahart I, Darcy P, Gidlow C, et al. The effects of green exercise on physical and mental wellbeing: A systematic review. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health. 2019;16(8):1352-77.
• World Health Organization. Global recommendations on physical activity for health. Switzerland: WHO.2010. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241599979. Accessed March 18, 2021.
• World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour: at a glance. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240014886. Published 2020. Accessed March 18, 2021.
• Shanahan DF, Franco L, Lin BB, et al. The benefits of natural environments for physical activity. Sports Medicine. 2016;46(7):989-995.
• Pretty J, Griffin M, Sellens M, et al. Green Exercise: Complementary Roles of Nature, Exercise And Diet in Physical and Emotional Well-Being. Essex: Centre for Environment and Society University of Essex; 2003.
• Barton J, Bragg R, Wood C, et al. Green exercise: Linking nature, health and well-being. London: Routledge; 2016.
• Ulrich RS. Biophilic theory and research for healthcare design. In Kellert et al, ed. Biophilic design: Theory, science and practice. New York: John Wiley; 2008;1:87-106.
• Gladwell VF, Brown DK, Wood C, et al. The great outdoors: how a green exercise environment can benefit all. Extreme Physiology & Medicine. 2013;2(1):1-7.
• López-Pousa S, Bassets PG, Monserrat VS, Blanco MG, Colome JH, Garre-OJ. Sense of well-being in patients with fibromyalgia: aerobic exercise program in a mature forest-a pilot study. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2015,2015.
• Lee JY, Lee DC. Cardiac and pulmonary benefits of forest walking versus city walking in elderly women: a randomised, controlled, open-label trial. Eur. J. Integr. Med. 2014;6:5-11.
• Twohig-Bennett C, Jones A. The health benefits of the great outdoors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of greenspace exposure and health outcomes. Environmental Research. 2018;166:628-637.
• Rook GA. Regulation of the immune system by biodiversity from the natural environment: an ecosystem service essential to health. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 2013;110(46);18360–18367.
• Park B-J, Tsunetsugu Y, Morikawa T, et al. Physiological and psychological effects of walking in stay-in forest therapy. Japanese Journal of Hygiene. 2014;69(2):98-103.
• Selby S, Hayes C, O’Sullivan N, et al. Facilitators and barriers to green exercise in chronic pain. Irish Journal of Medical Science. 2019;188(3):973-978.
• Koselka EP, Weidner LC, Minasov A, et al. Walking green: Developing an evidence base for nature prescriptions. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health. 2019;16(22):4338-55.
• Mitchell R. Is physical activity in natural environments better for mental health than physical activity in other environments? Social Science & Medicine. 2013;91:130-134.
• Loureiro A, Veloso S. Green exercise, health and well-being. Handbook of environmental psychology and quality of life research. Springer. 2017:149-169.
• Pretty J, Peacock J, Sellens M, et al. The mental and physical health outcomes of green exercise. International Journal of Environmental Health Research. 2005;15(5):319-337.
• Peacock J, Hine R, Pretty J. The mental health benefits of green exercise activities and green care. Report for MIND. February 2007.
• Ten Brink P, Mutafoglu K, Schweitzer J-P, et al. The health and social benefits of nature and biodiversity protection. A Report for the European Commission London/Brussels: Institute for European Environmental Policy; 2016.
• Mapes N. It's a walk in the park: exploring the benefits of green exercise and open spaces for people living with dementia. Working with Older People. 2010;14(4):25-31.
• Mapes N. Green exercise and dementia. In: J. Barton, R. Bragg, C. Wood, and J. Pretty, eds. Green Exercise: Linking Nature, Health and Well-being. London: Routledge; 2016:150-160.
• Kaplan S. The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 1995;15(3):169-182.
• Bratman GN, Hamilton JP, Daily GC. The impacts of nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health. Annals of the New York academy of sciences. 2012;1249(1):118-136.
• Ulrich RS, Simons RF, Losito BD, et al. Stress recovery during exposure to natural and urban environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 1991;11(3):201-230.
• Han KT. Effects of three levels of green exercise, physical and social environments, personality traits, physical activity, and engagement with nature on emotions and attention. Sustainability. 2021;13(5):2686-2715.
• Hands A, Stimpson A, Ridgley H, et al. Improving access to greenspace a new review for. https://beyondgreenspace.net/2020/07/29/improving-access-to-greenspace-a-new-review-for-2020/. Published March 2020. Accessed March 22,2021.
• Mnich C, Weyland S, Jekauc D, et al. Psychosocial and physiological health outcomes of green exercise in children and adolescents-a systematic review. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health. 2019;16(21):4266-84.
• Wood C, Bragg R, Pretty J. The benefits of green exercise for children. In:J. Barton, R. Bragg, C. Wood, and J. Pretty, eds. Green Exercise: Linking Nature, Health and Well-being. London: Routledge;2016:46-52.
• Merskey HBN. Classification of Chronic Pain. 2nd ed. IASP Task Force on Taxonomy. IASP Seattle: Press; 1994.
• Aydın ON. Ağrı ve ağrı mekanizmalarına güncel bakış. ADÜ Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi. 2002;3(2):37-48.
• Han J-W, Choi H, Jeon Y-H, et al. The effects of forest therapy on coping with chronic widespread pain: Physiological and psychological differences between participants in a forest therapy program and a control group. International Journal of Environmental Research Public Health. 2016;13(3):255-268.
• Doimo I, Masiero M, Gatto P. Forest and wellbeing: Bridging medical and forest research for effective forest-based initiatives. Forests. 2020;11(8):791-821.
• Kang B, Kim T, Kim MJ, et al. Relief of chronic posterior neck pain depending on the type of forest therapy: comparison of the therapeutic effect of forest bathing alone versus forest bathing with exercise. Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine. 2015;39(6):957-963.
• Huber D, Grafetstätter C, Proßegger J, et al. Green exercise and Mg-Ca-SO 4 thermal balneotherapy for the treatment of non-specific chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled clinical trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2019;20(1):1-18.