Is Physiotherapy useful for post-traumatic stress disorder in military personnel?

Objective Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a disorder defined by the presence of psychological symptoms after being exposed to a traumatic incident. This has a significant importance within the realm of military veterans. The “ Service de Sante des Armees ” estimates that more than one thousand soldiers are affected; 16.6% of returning soldiers from Iraq and 11.2% from Afghanistan. Could some rehabilitative techniques, known and used by psychiatrists, be useful in treating this pathology? Material/patients and methods The study conducted consisted of three military members diagnosed with PTSD by a military psychiatrist. Their treatment was based on a clinical method with the following different techniques: exertion on a bicycle ergometer, followed by controlled diaphragmatic breathing exercises, tension relieving exercises in the head and shoulder region and massages to the neck, upper and lower back regions. Results were collected in the form of questionnaires (PCL-S, SF36, PSQI, score HAD) as well as personal evaluations (open answer questionnaires): the evaluations were conducted both before and at the end of the 4 week rehabilitation. Results For the three patients, the overall opinion varied by treatment method. The breathing exercises helped them in finding a state of calm during stressful moments in daily life (panic attacks or nightmares); massages and tension relieving exercises encouraged a more relaxed physical state and a conscious recognition of their muscle tension. Discussion/conclusion PTSD is a serious issue, in which the military and “traditional” treatments (pharmacology, psychotherapy, EMDR) have only been able to improve 30% of subjects treated. If our work and methods do not allow us to obtain significant results due to a limited patient base, we can observe that the chosen techniques (physical activity and work of the body; relaxation and calming exercises) improve certain aspects of this syndrome (overall calmness, decrease in pain and hyper-vigilance). It could prove beneficial to conduct a second study including a larger patient base, longer treatment time, a control of heart rate, breathing rate and blood pressure, all the while continuing to respect therapeutic guidelines.