The Effect of an Exercise Program on the Quality of Life in Burn Patients

Background: Burn injuries are among the most significant causes of disability and death, having severe economic and social consequences in human societies. Objectives: This study aims to examine the effect of an exercise program on the quality of life of burn patients admitted to the burn department of Ali Ibne Abi Talib Hospital in Zahedan. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 30 patients with shoulder joint burns admitted to the burn department of Ali Ibne Abi Talib Hospital in Zahedan in 2021 participated. Patients meeting the inclusion criteria were selected via convenience sampling and then randomly assigned to intervention and control groups using permuted blocks. The intervention consisted of 4 individual training sessions and an exercise program. Patients in the intervention group performed exercises 3 times daily for 12 weeks, while those in the control group received only routine ward care. Data were collected using the Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS), administered to groups 1- and 3-months post-intervention. Data analysis was conducted using SPSSv.21 software, employing the chi-square test, independent samples t-test, and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), with a significance level set at P < 0.05. Results: One month post-intervention, the mean quality of life scores were 121.73 ± 7.52 in the intervention group and 122.93 ± 5.72 in the control group. After 3 months, these scores changed to 156.46 ± 9.53 in the intervention group and 122.82 ± 8.09 in the control group, indicating a significant increase in the intervention group (P = 0.001). Repeated measures ANOVA revealed no significant difference in quality of life between the 2 groups 1 month post-intervention (P = 0.37); however, a significant difference was observed at 3 months (P = 0.001). Conclusions: The study's findings suggest that exercise can improve the quality of life in patients with shoulder joint burns. Therefore, incorporating exercise and follow-up programs into the discharge plans of burn patients is recommended.