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Gloeckl R, Zwick RH, Fürlinger U, Schneeberger T, Leitl D, Jarosch I, Behrends U, Scheibenbogen C, Koczulla AR. Practical Recommendations for Exercise Training in Patients with Long COVID with or without Post-exertional Malaise: A Best Practice Proposal. SPORTS MEDICINE - OPEN 2024; 10:47. [PMID: 38658496 PMCID: PMC11043268 DOI: 10.1186/s40798-024-00695-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
People with long COVID may suffer from a wide range of ongoing symptoms including fatigue, exertional dyspnea, reduced exercise performance, and others. In particular, impaired exercise performance is a condition that can be recovered in many people through an individualized physical exercise training program. However, clinical experience has shown that the presence of post-exertional malaise (PEM) is a significant barrier to physical exercise training in people with long COVID. Currently, there is no guideline or consensus available on how to apply exercise training in this cohort. Therefore, we conducted a literature review in the PubMed library using the following search terms: "COVID", "post-COVID", "long COVID" and "exercise" searching for studies from January 2020 to January 2024. Data from 46 trials were included. Exercise training regimes were very heterogeneous and none of these studies reported on the management of PEM in the context of an exercise training program. Based on the feedback from an additional survey that was answered by 14 international experts in the field of exercise training in long COVID, combined with the authors´ own extensive practical experience, a best practice proposal for exercise training recommendations has been developed. This proposal differentiates exercise procedures according to the presence of no, mild/moderate or severe PEM in people with long COVID. These recommendations may guide allied healthcare professionals worldwide in initiating and adjusting exercise training programs for people with long COVID, stratified according to the presence and severity of PEM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rainer Gloeckl
- Department of Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Institute for Pulmonary Rehabilitation Research, Schoen Klinik Berchtesgadener Land, Schoenau am Koenigssee, Germany
| | - Ralf H Zwick
- Therme Wien Med, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Rehabilitation Research, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrich Fürlinger
- Therme Wien Med, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Rehabilitation Research, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tessa Schneeberger
- Department of Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Institute for Pulmonary Rehabilitation Research, Schoen Klinik Berchtesgadener Land, Schoenau am Koenigssee, Germany
| | - Daniela Leitl
- Department of Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Institute for Pulmonary Rehabilitation Research, Schoen Klinik Berchtesgadener Land, Schoenau am Koenigssee, Germany
| | - Inga Jarosch
- Department of Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Institute for Pulmonary Rehabilitation Research, Schoen Klinik Berchtesgadener Land, Schoenau am Koenigssee, Germany
| | - Uta Behrends
- Childrens' Hospital, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Berlin, Germany
| | - Carmen Scheibenbogen
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Rembert Koczulla
- Department of Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
- Institute for Pulmonary Rehabilitation Research, Schoen Klinik Berchtesgadener Land, Schoenau am Koenigssee, Germany.
- Teaching Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
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Halvorsen J, Henderson C, Romney W, Hågå M, Barkenæs Eggen T, Nordvik JE, Rosseland I, Moore J. Feasibility and Safety of Early Post-COVID-19 High-Intensity Gait Training: A Pilot Study. J Clin Med 2023; 13:237. [PMID: 38202245 PMCID: PMC10780026 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13010237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The feasibility and safety of rehabilitation interventions for individuals recovering from COVID-19 after the acute stage is not well understood. This pilot study aims to provide a preliminary investigation of the feasibility and safety of providing high-intensity gait training (HIT) with a targeted cardiovascular intensity of 70-85% of the age-predicted maximum heart rate (HRmax) for individuals undergoing rehabilitation post-COVID-19. METHODS Consecutive patients who were medically cleared for HIT were invited to participate in the study. Participants practiced walking in varied contexts (treadmill, overground, and stairs), aiming to spend as much time as possible within their target cardiovascular intensity zone during scheduled physical therapy (PT) sessions. Training characteristics and adverse events were collected to determine the feasibility and safety of HIT. The severity of adverse events was graded on a 1-5 scale according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. RESULTS The participants (n = 20) took a mean of 2093 (±619) steps per PT session. The average peak heart rate during PT sessions was 81.1% (±9.4) of HRmax, and 30.1% (±21.0) of the session time was spent at heart rates ≥ 70% HRmax. Mild adverse events (grade 1) occurred in <5% of the sessions, and no intervention-requiring or life-threatening adverse events (grade 2-5) occurred. CONCLUSION This pilot study provides preliminary evidence that HIT may be feasible and safe during inpatient rehabilitation for patients post-COVID-19 following medical clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joakim Halvorsen
- Forsterket Rehabilitering Aker, Helseetaten, Oslo kommune, Trondheimsveien 235, 0586 Oslo, Norway; (M.H.); (I.R.)
| | - Christopher Henderson
- Institute for Knowledge Translation, Carmel, IN 46033, USA; (C.H.); (J.M.)
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46254, USA
| | - Wendy Romney
- Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Science, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT 06825, USA;
| | - Magnus Hågå
- Forsterket Rehabilitering Aker, Helseetaten, Oslo kommune, Trondheimsveien 235, 0586 Oslo, Norway; (M.H.); (I.R.)
| | | | - Jan Egil Nordvik
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0166 Oslo, Norway;
| | - Ingvild Rosseland
- Forsterket Rehabilitering Aker, Helseetaten, Oslo kommune, Trondheimsveien 235, 0586 Oslo, Norway; (M.H.); (I.R.)
| | - Jennifer Moore
- Institute for Knowledge Translation, Carmel, IN 46033, USA; (C.H.); (J.M.)
- Regional Kompetansetjeneste for Rehabilitering, Sunnaas HF, Trondheimsveien 235, 0586 Oslo, Norway
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Arienti C, Lazzarini SG, Andrenelli E, Cordani C, Negrini F, Pollini E, Ceravolo MG. Rehabilitation and COVID-19: systematic review by Cochrane Rehabilitation. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med 2023; 59:800-818. [PMID: 38214047 DOI: 10.23736/s1973-9087.23.08331-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Until the last update in February 2022, the Cochrane Rehabilitation COVID-19 Evidence-based Response (REH-COVER) action identified an increasing volume of evidence for the rehabilitation management of COVID-19. Therefore, our aim was to identify the best available evidence on the effectiveness of interventions for rehabilitation for COVID-19-related limitations of functioning of rehabilitation interest in adults with COVID-19 or post COVID-19 condition (PCC). EVIDENCE ACQUISITION We ran the searches on February 17th, 2023, in the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINHAL, and the Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register, applying a publication date restriction to retrieve only papers published in 2022. To retrieve papers published before 2022, we screened the reference lists of previous publications included in the REH-COVER action, covering papers from early 2020 to the end of 2022. This current review includes only randomised controlled trials and concludes the rapid living systematic reviews of the Cochrane Rehabilitation REH-COVER action. The risk of bias and certainty of evidence were evaluated in all studies using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and GRADE, respectively. We conducted a narrative synthesis of the evidence. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022374244. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS After duplicate removal, we identified 18,950 individual records and 53 RCTs met the inclusion criteria. Our findings suggest that the effect of breathing and strengthening exercise programs on dyspnea and physical exercise capacity compared to no treatment in non-severe COVID-19 patients is uncertain. Multicomponent telerehabilitation may slightly increase physical exercise capacity compared to educational intervention in adults with PCC. There is, however, uncertainty about its effect on lung function and physical exercise capacity when compared to no treatment. Finally, the effect of inspiratory muscle training on maximal inspiratory pressure compared to no treatment in adults with PCC is uncertain. CONCLUSIONS Interventions that are part of comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation approaches may benefit dyspnea and exercise tolerance in adults with COVID-19 and PCC. The available evidence has several methodological limitations that limit the certainty of evidence and the clinical relevance of findings. Therefore, we cannot provide robust suggestions for practice. While high-quality RCTs are being conducted, clinicians should consider using high-quality evidence from other pulmonary conditions to rehabilitate patients with COVID-19 or PCC using context-specific interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Elisa Andrenelli
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Claudio Cordani
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University "La Statale", Milan, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Negrini
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Tradate, Varese, Italy
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | | | - Maria G Ceravolo
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
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Yang G, Li Z, Li Z, Huang L, Liang P, Liu L, Li D. Meta-analysis of the impact of physical activity on the recovery of physical function in COVID-19 patients. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19339. [PMID: 37662802 PMCID: PMC10469390 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The decrease in physical function resulting from COVID-19 infection exerts a substantial negative influence on the quality of life of individuals. Physical activity plays a crucial and irreplaceable role in hastening the elimination of adverse effects on the body caused by acute and chronic diseases. Nevertheless, there have been reports of unfavorable events following physical activity post-COVID-19 infection, sparking debate regarding the efficacy of physical activity as a rehabilitation method to enhance the physical function of COVID-19 patients. Objective The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of physical activity on promoting the restoration of physical function among individuals with COVID-19, and to offer guidance for the advancement and consideration of physical activity in the rehabilitation treatment of COVID-19 patients. Methods A search was conducted on the PubMed and Web of Science core collection databases, with the search period set from January 1, 2020, to February 6, 2023. The included literature was assessed for risk of bias and methodological quality according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, utilizing Review Manager 5.1 software. The outcome measures from the included studies were analyzed, and the quality of evidence for the outcome measures was graded using the GRADE classification criteria. Results The effect of physical activity intervention on improving the 6-Minute Walk Test score in COVID-19 patients was better than that of conventional treatment [WMD = 69.19(95%CI = 39.38, 98.99), I2 = 57%(p = 0.03)]. The effect of physical activity on improving the 30-Second Sit-to-Stand Test score was better than that of conventional treatment [WMD = 2.98(95%CI = 1.91, 4.04), I2 = 0%(p = 0.56)]. There was no significant difference between physical activity and conventional treatment in improving Grip strength in COVID-19 patients [WMD = 2.35(95%CI = -0.49, 5.20), I2 = 0%(p = 0.80)]. The effect of physical activity on improving the Timed Up and Go test score in COVID-19 patients was better than that of conventional treatment [WMD = -1.16(95%CI = -1.98, -0.34), I2 = 4%(p = 0.35)]. The effect of physical activity on improving Forced Vital Capacity in COVID-19 patients was better than that of conventional treatment [WMD = 0.14(95%CI = 0.08, 0.21), I2 = 0%(p = 0.45)]. The effect of physical activity on improving Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second in COVID-19 patients was better than that of conventional treatment [WMD = 0.08(95%CI = 0.02, 0.15), I2 = 52%(p = 0.10)]. Conclusions Physical activity plays a crucial role in facilitating the recovery of exercise capacity and pulmonary function in COVID-19 patients, helping to expedite the restoration of overall physical health. It is crucial for COVID-19 patients to undergo an accurate assessment of their physical condition before engaging in any physical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geng Yang
- Graduate School, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, 510500, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhigan Li
- School of Sports and Health, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, 510500, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhenpeng Li
- Sports Group, Zhongshan Yangxianyi Middle School, Zhongshan, 528403, Guangdong, China
| | - Linjie Huang
- Graduate School, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, 510500, Guangdong, China
| | - Peiyi Liang
- Graduate School, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, 510500, Guangdong, China
| | - Lining Liu
- Graduate School, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, 510500, Guangdong, China
| | - Dingge Li
- Graduate School, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, 510500, Guangdong, China
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