The impact of martial arts as a supplementary therapy for children with ADHD

Abstract

Introduction: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neuropsychiatric condition that can impair an individual’s development. ADHD is characterized by harmful levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that manifest in early childhood, potentially leading to impairment in family and social life, as there is poor development of executive functions. Objective: To verify, through a literature review, whether martial arts can serve as a non-pharmacological supplemental therapy for children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD. Methods: This is a literature review on the practice of physical exercise as a non-pharmacological supplementary therapy for pediatric patients diagnosed with ADHD. The databases consulted were Scielo and Pubmed, using the following keywords: ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Martial Arts, and Physical Exercise. The inclusion criteria were: articles published between January 2010 and October 2024, in Portuguese, and available online. Results: Martial arts are rule-based physical exercises in which obedience is fundamental for success in the sport. Patients diagnosed with ADHD have impaired social and cognitive development, which results in an inability to follow proposed rules and limits. Executive functions are the most impaired in this disorder, leading to emotional instability, difficulty with working memory, challenges in planning and executing tasks, and problem-solving in the face of environmental adversities. Martial arts can help patients diagnosed with ADHD in the development of executive functions, reducing symptoms and improving prognoses. Conclusion: Martial arts, as a supervised sport, is a form of non-pharmacological therapy used to supplement pharmacotherapy, improving the prognosis of pediatric patients.