Reviewing the Physiology of Cutaneous Wound Healing and Evaluating the Effect of Exercise on It: A Narrative Review Article

Abstract

Context: The skin is the most important organ of the body, and maintaining its integrity is important for health. Severe skin damage is life-threatening, and wound healing restores its integrity. One of the main health problems is impaired cutaneous wound healing. According to the importance of wound healing and the fact that unrepaired skin decreases the quality of life, many studies have investigated the effect of some natural and chemical substances on the length and quality of wound healing to find beneficial interventions for rapid and economical treatment. Objectives: This review was conducted to describe the physiology of cutaneous wound healing and some positive and negative factors affecting it with a focus on exercise. Evidence Acquisition: An electronic search without any time limitation was performed on the PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases. The keywords were ‘wound’, ‘healing’, and ‘exercise’. Finally, according to the similarities or differences between the results and the relationship with the subject, 53 papers were selected and reviewed. Results: Wound healing is a complex physiological process with four overlapping processes. It seems that disturbance in the inflammatory phase of wound healing is the main factor in the impairment of healing. Traditionally, many chemical and herbal medicines and compounds have been used to speed up wound recovery due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. Many studies have evaluated the effect of exercise, as complementary medicine, on wound healing, and they have examined the effect of different protocols of exercise on the speed of wound healing. According to the results of these studies, aerobic exercise, due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects, is a beneficial method in shortening the length of healing, especially in aged, obese, and diabetic individuals. Conclusions: Exercise as a low-cost intervention is a good strategy in the treatment of impaired and chronic wounds.