ADHD medication is currently (April 2025) suffering a nationwide catastrophic shortness of supply, with most types of Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) and some of the amphetamine medications (Dexamphetamine, Vyvanse) now out of stock in virtually all chemists, with no reliable return-of-supply date. When a child, or adult, has become used to being able to take medication to help with focus, executive function and generally improve life and mood, then it is taken from them, this is bound to cause people to wonder if there are other ways to manage the condition.
ADHD is the most common neurodevelopmental condition and anyone who lives with ADHD (or has a family member with ADHD) will be familiar with how difficulties regulating their dopamine can manifest – struggles with working memory, impulse control, focusing, prioritising, task initiation, emotional regulation and more.
Did you know that exercise can help improve the symptoms of ADHD? A study in 2021 took two groups of ADHDer kids and split them into two groups – one group did cardio exercise (like running drills), and the other did a specific balance training program that combined progressive balance exercises with a cognitive tasks. Both groups did the training two to three times a week for 45 minutes, for four or five weeks. At the end of the study, there were noticeable improvements in working memory, impulse control and cognitive flexibility in the balance training group compared to the cardio group. Both groups showed improvements in ADHD symptoms at school, and the balance training group showed those improvements at home too.
Exercise is beneficial for adults with ADHD too. A recent review and meta analysis found that exercise improved ADHD symptoms, executive function, motor functioning, mood and sleep in adults with ADHD. Aerobic based exercise (running, cycling) seemed to have a greater effect than other types of exercise in this review. Improvements from exercise interventions may be even greater in those with predominantly inattentive type ADHD versus predominantly hyperactive – this seemed particularly obvious when results were split by gender, with the impact being greater for those assigned female at birth.
Some people find that doing a single bout of high intensity exercise, as short as twenty minutes, can help with focus and attention immediately afterwards. This is supported by evidence which hypothesizes the reason for this is due to an increase in neurotransmitters – which is the same thing that medication does. Research also suggests that improvements in ADHD symptoms over the longer term may be due to changes in the structure of the brain.
The beautiful thing about using exercise to help manage the cognitive symptoms of ADHD is that all the other beneficial side effects of exercise still apply – better fitness, reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes, better mood, increased bone density, increased strength, and better sleep. Finding the kind of exercise that works for you is important when incorporating exercise into your life – for some people it’s joining a sports team, for others it’s going to the gym, or heading out to go for a solo run.
A neuro-affirming, accredited exercise physiologist (AEP) is the perfect practitioner to help you put this knowledge into practice in your own life. Given that planning and prioritising tasks can often be difficult for those with ADHD, having an understanding practitioner to work with you can help to manage that mental load. An AEP can take into consideration other factors that might impact your or your child’s ability to exercise, such as co-existing medical conditions or injuries, and create an exercise program that is tailored to your specific needs.
Written by Louise Pontin, Exercise Physiologist at Hills Physiotherapy Knox
References
- Vahid Nejati, Balance-based Attentive Rehabilitation of Attention Networks (BARAN) improves executive functions and ameliorates behavioral symptoms in children with ADHD, Complementary Therapies in Medicine, Volume 60, 2021, 102759, ISSN 0965-2299, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2021.102759 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096522992100100X)
- Tony Cat Anh Hung A Nguyen, Sweat or Rest? The effects of physical exercise in adults with ADHD: A systematic review and Meta-analysis, Murdoch University 2022 (https://researchportal.murdoch.edu.au/esploro/outputs/graduate/Sweat-or-Rest-The-effects-of/991005548668507891?institution=61MUN_INST)
- Article Source: Association of exercise and ADHD symptoms: Analysis within an adult general population sample
Tucker R, Williams C, Reed P (2025) Association of exercise and ADHD symptoms: Analysis within an adult general population sample. PLOS ONE 20(2): e0314508. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314508