Exercise & ADHD

It is well known that engaging in physical activity is beneficial – but not just for the usual reasons of keeping fit or staying healthy. It has been found to improve cognitive function in healthy individuals, helping to boost their attention and information processing abilities.

Despite this, exercise was initially not considered a strategy that could help with managing ADHD symptoms for a long time. Since then, however, many studies have been conducted to examine the links between exercises and ADHD, which all have supported the positive role that exercise can play in an ADHD management program.

ADHD children exercise therapy

The effects of exercise can be observed short term; after engaging in 20-30 minutes of high intensity physical activity, children with ADHD show an increase in attention and inhibition. When exercise was performed for about half an hour daily, over eight weeks, children with ADHD showed a decrease in the severity of their symptoms, their ability to inhibit response most enhanced. These results were supported by ratings of their behaviour from their teachers and parents during the study. In young children (Grades K to 3), exercise even helped to improve their gross and fine motor skills.

Exercise does not only help improve neurocognitive functions in children in ADHD; in instances where there may be comorbid psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression, exercise can help as well. Lower scores on anxiety and depression scaled were observed when children with ADHD played sport regularly, and especially so when they played three or more sports, suggesting that the key may lie in active and consistent involvement with sport.

It is essential to note that most studies examining the impact of exercise on ADHD symptoms involved their participants in aerobic exercise that was moderate to high in intensity lasting at least 20-30 minutes per session. However, the specific exercise undertaken was not particularly important; studies have found positive effects with a range of activities including treadmill running, cycling, aerobic exercise programs, and aquatic exercise.

In conclusion, exercise has been found to be beneficial in managing symptoms of ADHD for children both in the short and long term. It seems to be the case that it is not the specific physical activity that children with ADHD engage in that makes it successful but simply the act of regularly exercising. These findings are especially applicable to children with ADHD, as they may be at greater risk of developing obesity as adolescents.

References:

  • Khalife, N., Kantomaa, M., Glover, V., Tammelin, T., Laitinen, J., Ebeling, H., Hurtig, T., Jarvelin, M. R., & Rodriguez, A. (2014). Childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms are risk factors for obesity and physical inactivity in adolescence. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 53(4), 425-436.
  • Kiluk, B. D., Weden, S., & Culotta, V. P. (2008). Sport participation and anxiety in children with ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 12(6). 499-506.
  • Ng, Q. X., Ho, C. Y. X., Chan, H. W., Yong, B. Z. J., & Yeo, W. S. (2017). Managing childhood and adolescent attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with exercise: A systematic review. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 34, 123-128.
  • Smith, A. L., Hoza, B., Linnea, K., McQuade, J. D., Tomb, M., Vaughn, A. J., Shoulberg, E. K., & Hook, H. (2011). Pilot physical activity intervention reduces severity of ADHD symptoms in young children. Journal of Attention Disorders. 17(1), 70-82.