A sports-based program is proving successful in the rehabilitation of drug addicts in Shanghai, with improvements in their physical abilities and mental health.

The trial program at the Shanghai Gaojing Drug Rehabilitation Center and the Shanghai Qingdong Drug Rehabilitation Center started in January with 120 residents selected to take part after physical and psychological evaluations.

All the participants were under age 40, but only 30 percent were in "fine" physical condition before the sports training, said the Shanghai Drug Rehabilitation Administration.

Experts from several Shanghai universities designed the sports programs, which include aerobics, riding exercise bicycles, running, skipping rope and playing basketball. Individual and team sports are combined and run with optimal intensity.

Zhang Chen, who works in the life and rehabilitation department of the administration, said the participants exercise for 90 minutes three days a week. They jog and do light strength training on the other days.

"We tried to integrate different kinds of sports and teamwork so that the residents will enjoy the sports training," Zhang said.

"Most of them said they like the sports programs, and they are feeling better in terms of body coordination and memory and have a more pleasant mood."

Positive changes are already being seen. After three months, 60 residents were again tested for their ability to balance on one foot for more than 10 seconds with their eyes closed. Those who could complete the task increased from 25 percent to 37 percent.

Statistics from the center also showed the percentage of residents suffering from anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder, as well as those holding hostile feelings, decreased from 18 percent to 8 percent.

"The sports training is intended to help the former drug users enhance their physical and mental health, as drug addicts usually suffer from damage to the brain and body and their physical balance and coordination are poor," said Zheng Wei, deputy director of the administration,

Studies have shown that physical exercise can regulate changes in neurotransmitters - including dopamine and glutamate - activate brain neural networks and assist drug addicts to reshape their nervous system and improve cognitive function. This helps reduce cravings for drugs, experts believe.

Virtual reality devices with eye-movement tracking systems were used to assess their cravings for drugs, the administration said.

Brain imaging was taken to examine their cognitive neurological functions. Metabolism and biochemical tests - conducted on blood, urine and bowel flora - were taken to verify their physical changes.

"These tests were designed to examine the effectiveness of sports on the resident from perspectives of body and mental health as well as brain function," Zhang said.

The pilot program may be extended to other regions in the country, the administration said.