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. 2021 Jun 3;18(11):6017.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18116017.

The Impact of Post-COVID-19 Syndrome on Self-Reported Physical Activity

Jeannet M Delbressine  1 , Felipe V C Machado  1   2   3 , Yvonne M J Goërtz  1   2   3 , Maarten Van Herck  1   2   3   4 , Roy Meys  1   2   3 , Sarah Houben-Wilke  1 , Chris Burtin  4 , Frits M E Franssen  1   2   3 , Yvonne Spies  5 , Herman Vijlbrief  5 , Alex J van 't Hul  6 , Daisy J A Janssen  1   7 , Martijn A Spruit  1   2   3 , Anouk W Vaes  1
Affiliations

The Impact of Post-COVID-19 Syndrome on Self-Reported Physical Activity

Jeannet M Delbressine et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: A subgroup of patients recovering from COVID-19 experience persistent symptoms, decreased quality of life, increased dependency on others for personal care and impaired performance of activities of daily living. However, the long-term effects of COVID-19 on physical activity (PA) in this subgroup of patients with persistent symptoms remain unclear. Methods: Demographics, self-reported average time spent walking per week, as well as participation in activities pre-COVID-19 and after three and six months of follow-up were assessed in members of online long-COVID-19 peer support groups. Results: Two hundred thirty-nine patients with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis were included (83% women, median (IQR) age: 50 (39-56) years). Patients reported a significantly decreased weekly walking time after three months of follow-up (three months: 60 (15-120) min. vs. pre-COVID-19: 120 (60-240) min./week; p < 0.05). Six months after the onset of symptoms walking time was still significantly lower compared to pre-COVID-19 but significantly increased compared to three months of follow-up (three months: 60 (15-120) min. vs. six months: 90 (30-150) min.; p < 0.05). Conclusions: Patients who experience persistent symptoms after COVID-19 may still demonstrate a significantly decreased walking time six months after the onset of symptoms. More research is needed to investigate long-term consequences and possible treatment options to guide patients during the recovery fromCOVID-19.

Keywords: Corona; exercise; persistent symptoms; physical activity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Franssen reports grants and personal fees from AstraZeneca, personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, GSK and TEVA outside the submitted work. Janssen reports personal fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim and Novartis outside the submitted work. Spruit reports grants from Lung Foundation Netherlands, grants from Stichting Astma Bestrijding, grants and personal fees from AstraZeneca and grants and personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim outside the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Walking time in previous week pre-COVID-19 (T0), at 3 months (T1) and 6 months (T2) of follow-up; * significant difference vs. pre-COVID-19, p < 0.05; #: significant difference vs. 3 months, p < 0.05. Data presented as median, IQR and 10–90%CI.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Proportion of participants divided based on achieving 150 min. walking per week before (T0) and at 3 months (T1) and 6 months (T2) of follow-up; * significant difference p < 0.05.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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