# Effects of Physical Exercise on Substance Use Disorder: A Comprehensive Review
## 3 Results
### Assessment and Impact of Physical Exercise on Crawings in Individuals with SUD
#### 3.4.1 Physical Fitness, Cognitive Function, and Types of Physical Exercise in Intervention Programs  
Intervention programs aimed at improving physical fitness and cognitive function in individuals with SUD have incorporated various types of physical exercise. These include aerobic exercise programs [43, 61] combined with aerobic and strength exercises [54, 102] and the previously mentioned mind-body programs [50, 57, 103].  
For RHR in SUD populations, interventions have employed aerobic treadmill programs [97], HIIT workouts [42], aerobic exercises combined with static stretching [43], and programs combining aerobic and strength exercises [108].  
Significant increases in VO2 max have been reported in several studies [42, 109]. In one study [42], participants engaged in a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program incorporating strength exercises and recreational games like basketball, resulting in a significant VO2 max increase compared to the control group (F = 7.77; df = 2; \(\eta^{2}\) = 0.23; \(p\) < 0.01). Another study reported similar improvements, with significant differences between the start and end of the program (t = \(-\)6.37; \(p\) < 0.01) during high-intensity aerobic exercises, such as shoulder raises and forward-backward steps [109].  
Blood pressure has also shown favorable reductions in SUD populations following physical exercise. Mind-body therapies, such as Chan-Chuang, resulted in significant reductions in DBP (MD = \(-\)9.69; 95% CI = \(-\)13.79 to \(-\)5.59; \(p\) < 0.01) compared to control groups. Strength training reduced SBP (MD = \(-\)5.59; 95% CI = \(-\)10.62 to \(-\)0.56; \(p\) = 0.02) in the same study [57]. Aerobic interventions consistently showed significant SBP reductions pre-intervention, though only one study found greater reductions compared to the controls [109].  
For HRV, two studies reported significant improvements in time-domain (SDNN and RMSSD) and frequency-domain (LF and HF) variables following aerobic and strength interventions lasting 8 and 12 weeks, respectively [108, 109].  
Cognitive function improvements, particularly in inhibitory control and working memory, have been observed in moderate-intensity aerobic interventions lasting at least 8 weeks with three weekly sessions [110, 116, 117, 100].  
4.2 Physical Fitness, Cognitive Function, and Duration, Frequency, and Intensity of Intervention Programs  
Regarding blood pressure, high-intensity exercise programs have demonstrated significant reductions in both SBP and DBP. One study reported greater reductions in the intervention group compared to controls for SBP (F = 7.42; \(p\) < 0.01) and DBP (F = 9.78; \(p\) < 0.01) after 12 weeks of intervention [109].  
For RHR, significant reductions were observed following moderate-intensity exercise, although they were not greater than those achieved with standard therapy [43]. However,high-intensity training reported greater reductions compared to controls (F = 13.10; \(p\) < 0.01) after an 8-month intervention [42].  
Regarding cognitive functions, inhibitory control and working memory improved in moderate- and high-intensity interventions lasting at least 8 weeks, with three weekly sessions of approximately 40 min [116; 117; 118; 110].  
In conclusion, physical exercise provides substantial benefits for physical fitness and cognitive function in individuals recovering from SUD. Improvements in strength, endurance, and cognitive abilities enhance the capacity to face recovery challenges, supporting both physical and mental health. Evidence supports the implementation of well-structured, regular exercise programs as a valuable tool in rehabilitation, promoting more comprehensive and effective recovery for individuals with SUD.