Development of Physical Performance and Selected Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the Context of Long-term Rehabilitation of Soldiers with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Objective Mental illness can be associated with decreasing physical performance in an affected population. This contributes to the occurrence of cardiovascular risk factors and interference in participation. According to literature, an interdisciplinary team for rehabilitation is required, but realization is limited in terms of practical feasibility. The aim of this study was to investigate whether selected parameters of fitness and trunk strength as well as cardiovascular risk factors obtained from military personnel with diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that underwent a job-related, interdisciplinary and individualized long-term rehabilitation can be improved compared to a mentally healthy control group. Material and Methods In a retrospective longitudinal study, 116 patients (over 25.9 +/- 12.8 months) that underwent rehabilitation due to orthopedic impairment (n=22) and/or PTSD diagnosis (n=94) and were evaluated on the basis of the findings of bicycle ergometry and isokinetic core strength measurements as well as selected laboratory parameters. In the absence of normal distribution, statistical analysis was performed using Friedman and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results While the median in maximum performance during bicycle ergometry was increased by 22.28% (p=0.001) in the control group, patients suffering from both physical and mental illness or PTSD only displayed an elevated median of 5.46%, which was not statistically significant. Performance in bicylce ergometry at 4 mmol lactate threshold was significantly elevated in both groups. Referring to the isokinetic core strength measurement, no significant increase in performance in both groups was observable. Blood parameters such as cholesterol, triglycerides and uric acid changed marginally over the course of the time. Conclusions A clinically relevant increase in physical performance of mentally ill military personnel becomes apparent within the scope of an extensive rehabilitation in the long-term observation, whereas the study indicates that a comparable effect in non-mentally ill military personnel is less difficult to achieve. However, the improvement of basic endurance performance was possible in both groups. The cardiovascular risk profile of the young-aged study showed only a limited improvement during the process of rehabilitation.