Physical performance and compensation strategies of older adults to maintain physical fitness and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

Abstract

Introduction: During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, worldwide restrictions in social life, including the closure of sport facilities, led to a reduction of physical activity and subjective well-being. The aim of this study is to describe physical training habits, and subjective well-being in relation to objective training data from a chip-controlled fitness circuit in the rural area of Oldenburg, Germany.

Materials and methods: Overall, 35 older adults (20 women 71 ± 6 y/o and 15 men, 72 ± 7 y/o), regularly exercising in a chip-controlled fitness circuit before the lockdown in March 2020, were interviewed. The training data from February to August 2020 from six strength and two endurance exercise devices were extracted and compared to data before and up to three months after the lockdown. Additionally, participants' personal characteristics, physical activities and quality of life before, during, and after the first lockdown were assessed.

Results: The leg score (pre, post_June, post_July, post_August: 1207 ± 469 kg, 1248 ± 477 kg, 1254 ± 516 kg, 1283 ± 493 kg; p = 0.137) and endurance scores (ergometer: 0.93 ± 0.35 min^{- 1} · watt^{- 1}, 0.86 ± 0.31 min^{- 1} · watt^{- 1}, 0.86 ± 0.31 min^{- 1} · watt^{- 1}, 0.85 ± 0.28 min^{- 1} · watt^{- 1} ; p = 0.442) were not significantly different, in contrast to the rowing score (1426 ± 582 kg, 1558 ± 704 kg, 1630 ± 757 kg, 1680 ± 837 kg; p < 0.001). A significant increase of total energy expenditure (p = 0.026), mainly through gardening, walking, and bike riding was observed. The greatest personal limitation reported, was the loss of social contacts.

Conclusion: The presented data did not show a decrease in training performance, but a slight trend towards an increase. A compensatory increase in regular outdoor activities seems to have a protective effect against a loss of training performance and may have the potential to stabilize subjective well-being during lockdown periods.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; Chip-controlled fitness circuit; Exercise training; Physical training habits; Subjective well-being.

Fig. 1

Description of the schedule for the interviews and the data extraction from the milon cloud Time periods: pre: February to March 2020; post_June: June 2020; post_July: July 2020; post_August: August 2020. preLD: before the lockdown, LD: during the lockdown, postLD: after the lockdown.

Fig. 2

Median for the LUCAS functional index for Frail and Robust preLD: before the lockdown, LD: during the lockdown, postLD: after the lockdown

Fig. 3

Training data exported from the resistance exercise devices Time periods: pre: February to March 2020; post _June: June 2020; post_July: July 2020; post_August: August 2020. avg weight: mean weight by lifting the weight to the final position; avg moves: mean number of repetitions; HR_mean: mean heartrate at the device; avg delta weight: mean weight by releasing the weight to the starting position. 25–28 participants have worn the belt. Panel a: average weight, average moves, average HR and leg score on the leg extension device from February to August 2020. Panel b: average weight, average moves, average HR and rowingscore on the rowing machine from February to August 2020. Panel c: average weight, average delta weight, average moves and average HR on the chest press device from February to August 2020. Panel d: average weight, average delta weight, average moves and average HR on the leg curl device from February to August 2020.

Fig. 4

Training data exported from the endurance exercise devices Time periods: pre: February to March 2020; post_June: June 2020; post_July: July 2020; post_August: August 2020. avg rpm: mean revolutions per minute on the device; avg watt: mean power in watt on the device; HR_mean: mean heart rate on the device. Panel a: average rounds per minute, average watt, average HR and endurance score on the bicycle ergometer from February to August 2020. Panel b: average rounds per minute, average watt, average HR and endurance score on the cross trainer device from February to August 2020.

Fig. 5

Leg score, rowing score and endurance scores of the subgroup Time periods: pre: February to March 2020; post_June: June 2020; post_July: July 2020; post_August: August 2020.