Speakers
Karim Chamari (Tunisia/Qatar)
BIO
Prof. Karim Chamari is an internationally recognized sports scientist and clinical researcher with a career spanning elite sport performance, injury prevention, and health sciences. He currently serves as Acting Director of Research at Naufar Centre, Doha, Qatar, focusing on patients with Substance Use Disorders (SUD) where he is contributing the development of health research in patients with SUD. Formerly, he led the ASPREV department at Aspetar – Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, one of the world’s premier institutions in sports medicine.
With an H-index of 111 and over 52.000 citations, Prof. Chamari has authored 460+ peer-reviewed publications, contributing extensively to areas such as Ramadan fasting, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), athlete testing, injury epidemiology, and sport science applications in football and team sports.
Dr. Chamari is an editorial board member for IJSPP and Biology of Sport, a regular keynote speaker, and a trusted advisor to elite sport organizations worldwide.
🔗 Pubmed Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=chamari+k
🔗 Google Scholar Link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=v0McrqcAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
🔗 Research.com link: https://research.com/scientists-rankings/medicine/qa
AFFILIATIONS:
Naufar Centre, Doha, Qatar
Research Unit “Sport Sciences, Health and Movement”, High Institute of Sports and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, Kef 8100, Tunisia
Training Department, Police College, Qatar Police Academy, Doha, Qatar
LECTURE TITLE
Exercise Training Interventions as Therapeutic Approaches in Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Direct Clinical Outcomes and Implementation Strategies
Substance use disorders affect an estimated 270 million people worldwide, with relapse rates exceeding 60% in the first year after treatment. Exercise has emerged as a promising adjunctive intervention for substance use disorder (SUD), acting through neurobiological and behavioral pathways that address core mechanisms of addiction. This scoping review systematically mapped the evidence on structured exercise interventions in SUD treatment, with a focus on clinical outcomes, substance-specific effects, and implementation considerations.
The review followed PRISMA-ScR guidelines and JBI recommendations. Electronic searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus for English-language human studies published from 2000 onward. Included studies examined structured exercise interventions in adults with SUD and quantitatively measured substance-related outcomes during treatment.
Findings from randomized controlled trials and recent network meta-analyses indicate that exercise improves abstinence, reduces craving, alleviates anxiety and depression, and enhances cognitive function. Moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise delivered 3–4 times weekly for at least 12 weeks showed the most consistent benefits, while combined aerobic and resistance training may offer greater effectiveness. Key implementation challenges include adherence, the need for individualized protocols, safety monitoring, and multidisciplinary coordination. Overall, exercise demonstrates strong therapeutic potential as an evidence-based component of SUD treatment.
CONTACT