Bodily symptoms in patients with post traumatic stress disorder: A comparative study of traumatized refugees, Danish war veterans, and healthy controls

Background Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with increased general health symptoms and patients suffer from numerous bodily complaints such as increased pain, increased muscular tension, and restricted breathing. Methods and material This study applied the Body Awareness Movement Quality and Experience scale (BAS MQ-E) in assessing and comparing bodily symptoms, including movement function, in traumatized refugees (N = 14) and Danish war veterans with PTSD (N = 19) and healthy controls (N = 20). Results Patients with PTSD had significantly poorer stability, balance, flexibility and coordination in movement, had more muscular tension, more complaints of pain, more restricted breathing, and more limitation in function of daily life than healthy controls. Conclusion The BAS MQ-E was found to be an applicable and useful measure of bodily symptoms in patients with PTSD. Further research may add to the validity of BAS MQ-E and might be considered in future studies evaluating the efficacy of physiotherapy for patients with PTSD.