SynthesisBMC complementary medicine and therapies2024
Surf therapy for people with mental health disorders: a systematic review of randomized and non-randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Nature-based interventions: a systematic review of reviews.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Pooled it
- Immediate Changes in Physical Function, Psychological Health, and Health-Related Quality of Life Following a Five-Day Multicomponent Coastal Health Program in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Surf's Up for Postural Stability: A Descriptive Study of Physical Activity, Balance, Flexibility, and Self-Esteem in Healthy Adults.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSurf therapy is gaining popularity for improving mental health. However, there is limited research evidence to substantiate these claims. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to assess randomized or non-randomized studies analyzing the efficacy of surf therapy in improving symptoms of mental illness compared to non-exercising controls and/or alternative intervention, and to identify evidential gaps to inform future research.
methodsPRISMA 2020 reporting guidelines were followed. Eligibility criteria included participants of any age and sex, explicitly diagnosed with any mental health disorder, while exposed to surf therapy and compared to non-exercising controls and/or alternative interventions. The primary outcome consisted of changes in symptoms of mental illness scored from baseline to post-intervention. Any randomized or non-randomized trial design was considered. We searched Cochrane Library, CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science databases (December 7, 2023), without language or publication date restrictions and without filters. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2. A meta-analysis could not be conducted due to heterogeneity of the studies; therefore, a narrative synthesis of individual study results was performed.
resultsOf 5,666 records, three randomized controlled studies were included in the review. Overall, the findings of the three studies suggest no robust consistent evidence of improvement in mental health symptoms when comparing surf therapy to wait-list control groups or other nature-based exercise interventions (hike therapy). Certainty of evidence should be considered very low, as it is based on three randomized controlled trials.
conclusionAlthough we believe that surf therapy provides an interesting approach, robust evidence is scarce. Routes for future well-designed, controlled studies are discussed. OTHER: No funding to report. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42021277060.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.