Physical Activity Recommendations during COVID-19: Narrative Review

Abstract

Regular practice of physical activity plays a fundamental role in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. During the pandemic caused by COVID-19 and the lockdown established, people have reduced considerably their mobility and motor activity, which has led to an increase in unhealthy lifestyle habits, raising the risk of suffering from diseases. This paper consists of reviewing the existing scientific literature on recommendations of physical activity during the pandemic and to establish specific guidelines according to the type of population to which the activity would be directed. A search strategy has been carried out in the different databases: Embase, PubMed, SCOPUS, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science (WoS), including all the articles published until 14 May 2020, to find essays with recommendations on aerobic activity, muscle strengthening, flexibility-stretching, meditation-relaxation, and balance exercises. The articles found have been evaluated considering the following criteria: type of publication, proposals for physical exercise, language, and, if it appears, volume of activity, frequency, intensity, and rest. The results obtained 29 articles that discuss patterns of physical activity, although there is no common consensus on such recommendations during confinement, nor are they suitable for all people. From these results, we can conclude that physical activity is widely recommended during the confinement caused by COVID-19, mainly through the performance of aerobic, strength, flexibility, and balance exercises.

Keywords: coronavirus; health; pandemic; physical exercise; physically inactivity.

Figure 1

Flowchart of the process of searching and selecting the studies.