Int J Sports Med 2007; 28(12): 1046-1052
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-965129
Clinical Sciences

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Benefits of Exercise Training in Spanish Prison Inmates

F. Pérez-Moreno1 , M. Cámara-Sánchez1 , J. F. Tremblay1 , V. J. Riera-Rubio1 , L. Gil-Paisán1 , A. Lucia2
  • 1Centro Médico, Centro Penitenciario de Soto del Real, Madrid, Spain
  • 2Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Further Information

Publication History

accepted after revision January 25, 2007

Publication Date:
01 June 2007 (online)

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Abstract

Prison populations are growing in Western countries. Imprisoned people usually have a poor health status and an increased risk to suffer chronic debilitating conditions as coinfection with the HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) and/or opioid dependency. We studied the effects of a 4-month concurrent cardiorespiratory and resistance training program on the cardiorespiratory fitness, lower and upper body dynamic strength endurance (6-RM test for bench press and knee-extensor exercise, respectively), muscle mass and quality of life (QOL) of adult prison inmates who are HIV/HVC co-infected and enrolled in a methadone maintenance program (n = 9; mean [SD] age: 37 [3] yrs). We also evaluated a control group (n = 10; 37 [2] yrs). A significant combined effect of group and time was found for peak completed workload (W) (p < 0.01), peak heart rate (HRpeak) (p < 0.05) and rate of HR decrease at 1-min postexercise compared to HRpeak (p < 0.05), respectively, in a gradual cycle ergometer test. A significant combined effect of group and time was also found for both bench press and knee-extensor 6-RM tests, respectively (p < 0.05). Supervised exercise training can improve the overall physical fitness of incarcerated people. Our results suggest that this type of intervention could be applied in prisons of Western societies.