Physical effort in treating depression in the elderly – a systematic review

Depression is the most common mental disorder among people over 65 years old, making it one of the most significant health problems for this population. Due to the fact that medications and psychological therapy are not effective in all cases, many studies in recent decades have highlighted alternative treatments for depression. In particular, physical exercise has been highlighted as a potentially beneficial form of treatment. The purpose of this paper was to conduct a review into the relationship between exercise and its effects on the treatment of depression in the elderly. Specifically, PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for articles on the effectiveness of physical activity interventions for the treatment of senile depression and the reduction of its symptoms. The results show that physical activity is effective for reducing the symptoms of depression amongst the elderly. The positive effects of physical activity in the treatment of depression in the elderly were found for both endurance and resistance exercises, and for low-, moderate- and high-intensity exercise. Positive effects were observed for both traditional and water-based forms of exercise. Aligning the type and intensity of exercise to the patient’s personal preferences also helps to enhance the effectiveness of training. Overall, it was concluded that physical exercise can serve as a valuable strategy for the protection of mental health amongst the elderly. However, more research is needed to clarify the most effective type, intensity, and frequency of exercises to treat depression.