Effects of a 6-week interdisciplinary rehabilitation on endurance and physical function in individuals with Long Covid-19 symptoms

Background The COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020 and continues to affect societies to this day. Most individuals who get infected with COVID-19 experience at least mild or moderate symptoms. The majority of people fully recover from those symptoms, but 7-8% of them do not recover from those symptoms resulting in Long COVID-19. The most common clinical symptoms are weariness, coughing up sputum, exhaustion, dyspnea, and chest discomfort. These symptoms can have negative effects on quality of life, endurance, and physical function. Objectives The aim of this study is to examine the effect of a 6-week interdisciplinary rehabilitation program on endurance and physical function for Long COVID-19 patients and to see how the effects last. Methods 115 patients from two different time periods (prospective and retrospective) underwent a 6-week interdisciplinary rehabilitation program. The patients underwent physical performance tests prior to and post rehabilitation. Part of the patients attended follow-up measurements 6 months after the rehabilitation had ended. To measure endurance and physical function the following outcome measures were used: Spirometry, Cardiopulmonary exercise test, 6-minute walk test and 1-minute sit-to-stand test. Results Patients’ age ranged from 21 to 80 years with the average age of 54.2 ± 12 years. Patients showed significant improvements in all performance values from the outcome measures. The improvements were preserved in 6 months’ time. The retrospective group was older and with a higher prevalence of pulmonary obstruction. However, the improvements in outcome measures were similar in both groups except for maximal exercise capacity (W/kg). Conclusion A 6-week interdisciplinary rehabilitation program is safe and has a positive effect on endurance and physical function for Long COVID-19 patients, and benefits were preserved for at least 6 months. Patients were on average within normal values in the spirometry and 6-minute walk test at the beginning of rehabilitation, which shows the complexity of the disease.

Author dc:creator

• Einar Már Óskarsson 1998-

Contributors dc:contributor

• Háskóli Íslands

• Sjúkraþjálfun
• COVID-19

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1946/44446

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:skemman.is:1946/44446