Exercise for COVID-19 recovery shows potential, study finds

A study by the National Institute for Health Research Leicester Biomedical Research Center suggests that exercise may be beneficial for recovery from COVID-19 and help reduce persistent respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 infection. The researchers hope this finding will help develop effective rehabilitation programs for COVID-19 survivors.

The study, published on May 6, 2021, tracked 30 people who recovered from COVID-19. The researchers monitored participants twice a week during training sessions for six weeks. The bi-weekly sessions included aerobic exercise (walking and treadmill), weight training for the upper and lower limbs, and educational materials on treating symptoms after infection.

Symptoms after COVID-19 included fatigue, trouble sleeping, and shortness of breath. Patients were recommended for the study either by their GP, during their COVID-19 follow-up, or through a discharge program. Only people with symptoms that interfere with daily life were included in this study. COVID-19 survivors who had only non-respiratory symptoms such as loss of taste were excluded from this study.

The study compared participants' initial and final symptom ratings to measure improvement. Training capacity was assessed using both an endurance test and an interval-based shuttle walking test. Fatigue was measured using feedback from the participants' self-assessment and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Fatigue Scale. The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) was also used as an indicator of respiratory health.

Significant improvements were observed in exercise capacity, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Average interval-based and endurance-based shuttle walking test scores increased 112 minutes and 544 seconds, respectively.1 There was an average improvement of five points on the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Fatigue Scale and an average improvement of three points on the COPD- Assessment test on the 30 participants who tried exercises to help them recover from COVID-19.

The study finds that 87% of participants with COVID-19 were hospitalized, with an average stay of 10 days. 14% of participants had required mechanical ventilation during their COVID-19 treatment and 4% had previously had a respiratory disease

The researchers reported that while the human body can naturally recover from infection, it is likely that the significant reduction in symptoms observed was the result of this study. They state that there was an average of 125 days between infection and enrollment in the study, making the likelihood of a significant natural cure 125 days after infection is unlikely

The study concludes that using exercise to recover from COVID-19 is safe and has shown improved symptoms of shortness of breath, exercise capacity, and fatigue. There were no individuals who dropped out of the program and none of the participants experienced any worsening of symptoms. According to the study co-author, Professor Sally Singh, “the high completion rate suggests that patients found the treatment to be an acceptable treatment” .2

More research needs to be done to better understand how pulmonary rehabilitation techniques can be effectively adapted to the prevailing COVID-19 symptoms.

References

Daynes, E. et al. (2021). Early Experience of Rehabilitation of People After COVID to Improve Fatigue, Shortness of Breath, Exercise Capacity, and Cognition – A Cohort Study. Chronic respiratory disease; 18: 14799731211015691. doi: 10.1177 / 14799731211015691.
Exercise can help support the recovery of patients with persistent COVID symptoms, study results show. (2021). Press release from the National Institute for Health Research. American Society for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved from https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-05/nifh-ech050721.php.
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