Does exercise make a difference when it comes to beating addiction? The National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network recently selected Arapahoe House as one of 10 sites in the U.S. to participate in a new clinical trial: Stimulant Reduction Intervention using Dosed Exercise (STRIDE).
The aim of STRIDE is to examine the effect of dosed exercise among adults who are in treatment for substance abuse, and in particular, stimulant dependency. The most commonly known stimulants are Methamphetamine and cocaine.
Eligible and consenting participants male or female age 18-65 will be selected from Arapahoe House’s adult residential treatment program Healing First in Thornton, CO. For this study, clients at Healing First who meet all the criteria and pass a rigorous medical screening will be randomized to either an exercise intervention or a health education intervention.
Once Arapahoe House clients are enrolled into the study, their participation will last a total of nine months. Participants will attend intervention (exercise or health education) and research visits three times per week for the first three months and one time per week for the final six months with all sessions being conducted in Thornton.
Arapahoe House is expected to enroll two to three participants per month for the 18 month enrollment phase for a total of 33 participants. Enrollment for the study is expected to commence in June 2010.
As part of the study, Arapahoe House received exercise equipment to implement the research.
Please click here to learn more about the study and how you can get involved.
