Annotated Bibliography
Albany, Kathleen. “Faces of Dystonia.” Dystonia Medical Research Foundation,
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The article describes the potential benefits physical therapy treatment can have on a specific neurological disorder called dystonia. By doing physical therapy, a patient suffering from this disorder can become aware of the movements and actions they perform caused from dystonia. Once they are aware of these, it is easier to treat them and put them at reduced risk of harm. The article then moves on to briefly describe the process of physical therapy and then it lists tips to help maintain alignment, controlling those movements that come with the disorder. It also includes techniques that may be included in the physical therapy program, such as daily activities and exercise, stress management, and strengthening and stretching.
McMahon, E., Corcoran, P., O’Regan, G., Keeley, H., Cannon, M., Carli, V., & … Nemes, B.
(2017). Physical activity in European adolescents and associations with anxiety, depression and well-being. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 26(1), 111-122.
This article describes a study conducted in Europe in which the correlation between physical activity/participation in sports and mental health. The participants were 11,110 adolescents from different European countries who are all in an organization called Saving and Empowering Young Loves in Europe. They filled out a questionnaire that determines their measure of physical activity, depressive symptoms, and anxiety. The results were that frequency of activity was positively correlated with well-being and negatively correlated with anxiety and depressive symptoms.
Khazan, Olga. “For Depression, Prescribing Exercise Before Medication.” The Atlantic,
Atlantic Media Company, www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/03/for-depression-prescribing-exercise-before-medication/284587/.
This article is about the author’s and his friend’s experience dealing with aerobic exercise as a treatment for depression. It acts as a natural antidepressant since it releases both endorphins and norepinephrine, which are neurotransmitters that influence one’s mood in a positive way. Exercise did not prove to cure his depression, but it did give him “the energy to sort through the origins of his inner turmoil.” The possible potential quotes I could use are “exercise works as a multiplier, augmenting the effectiveness of an existing treatment, including drugs or therapy, or simply by helping the patient regain agency in their lives” or “Exercise, like any other treatment, won’t work for every depressed patient.” The source is reliable because it is from a credible online magazine called The Atlantic; in addition, the author is seems to be unbiased because he does address the possibility that exercise may not work for everyone. This information is important because it covers the second part of my essential question. It discusses the possibility of exercise replacing traditional medicine for diseases that are common among teenagers, such as depression.