Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent among military Veterans and is more than just a psychological condition; PTSD has profound negative impacts on health, function, and quality of life. Older Veterans are the largest patient population served by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and many have lived with PTSD for 40+ years. Veterans with PTSD engage in low levels of physical activity and spend much of their time in sedentary activities, adding to their risk of physical disability. The benefits of exercise on mental health and physical well-being in older adults are well-substantiated, but the effects of exercise training on late-life PTSD symptoms is a new area of study. This study is designed to examine the effects of 6 months of supervised exercise training on PTSD symptoms and PTSD-related conditions (e.g., functional impairment, sleep) in 188 older Veterans with PTSD.
Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for older Veterans with PTSD who are registered at Durham VAHCS, live within 50 miles of the fitness facility, and have been diagnosed with PTSD. It's not for those with end-stage liver disease, dialysis patients, significant cognitive impairments like Alzheimer's or Dementia, severe neurological disorders or seizure history in the last 5 years, certain psychiatric disorders with psychosis in the past 5 years, uncontrolled diabetes without active management, recent suicidal ideation or hospitalization for suicidality.Treatment Details
The study tests if a supervised exercise training program can improve symptoms of PTSD and related conditions such as functional impairment and sleep quality over six months. The effects will be compared to a control group receiving Healthy Aging Attention Control (HA-ATC).
2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Group I: ExerciseExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Progressive, multi-component supervised exercise training group.
Group II: Healthy Aging Attention ControlActive Control1 Intervention
A health education program that addresses topics relevant to older adults.
Find a clinic near you
Research locations nearbySelect from list below to view details:
Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NCDurham, NC
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Who is running the clinical trial?
VA Office of Research and DevelopmentLead Sponsor