Dolphin
Senior Member (Voting Rights)
Free fulltext:
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/13/4/1035
Effects of Aerobic Exercise Therapy through Nordic Walking Program in Lactate Concentrations, Fatigue and Quality-of-Life in Patients with Long-COVID Syndrome: A Non-Randomized Parallel Controlled Trial
Sofía Laguarta-Val 1 , David Varillas-Delgado 2,* , Ángel Lizcano-Álvarez 3 , Alberto Molero-Sánchez 1 , Alberto Melian-Ortiz 4 , Roberto Cano-de-la-Cuerda 1 and Carmen Jiménez-Antona 1
1 Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcon, 28922 Madrid, Spain; sofia.laguarta@urjc.es (S.L.-V.); alberto.molero@urjc.es (A.M.-S.); roberto.cano@urjc.es (R.C.-d.-l.-C.); carmen.jimenez@urjc.es (C.J.-A.)
2 Department of Exercise and Sport Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, 28223 Pozuelo, Spain
3 Department of Nursing and Stomatology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcon, 28922 Madrid, Spain; angel.lizcano@urjc.es
4 Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy, Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, 28015 Madrid, Spain; amelianor@upsa.es * Correspondence: david.varillas@ufv.es
Abstract:
Background:
Long-COVID syndrome comprises a variety of signs and symptoms that develop during or after infection with COVID-19 which may affect the physical capabilities. However, there is a lack of studies investigating the effects of Long-COVID syndrome in sport capabilities after suffering from COVID-19 infection. The purpose of the study was to evaluate and compare lactate concentration and quality of life (QoL) in patients with Long-COVID with those who have not developed non-Long-COVID during Nordic walking exercise therapy.
Methods:
Twenty-nine patients (25.5 ± 7.1 years) took part in a non-randomized controlled trial, divided into two groups: a Long-COVID group (n = 16) and a non-Long-COVID control (n = 13). Patients were confirmed as having Long-COVID syndrome if they experienced fatigue or tiredness when performing daily activities and worsening of symptoms after vigorous physical or mental activity. All participants underwent a 12-week Nordic Walking program. Lactate concentration after exercise and distance covered during all sessions were measured. Pre- and Long-Nordic Walking program, the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), and EURO QoL-5D (EQ-ED) were administered to assess fatigue and quality of life, respectively.
Results:
There was a lactate concentration effect between groups (F = 5.604; p = 0.024). However, there was no significant effect as a result of the session (F = 3.521; p = 0.121) with no interaction of group × session (F = 1.345; p = 0.414). The group main effect (F = 23.088; p < 0.001), time effect (F = 6.625; p = 0.026), and group × time (F = 4.632; p = 0.002) interaction on the SF-36 scale were noted. Also, there were a significant group main effect (F = 38.372; p < 0.001), time effect (F = 12.424; p = 0.005), and group × time interaction (F = 4.340; p = 0.014) on EQ-5D. However, there was only a significant group main effect (F = 26.235; p < 0.001) with no effect on time (F = 2.265; p = 0.160) and group × time (F = 1.584; p = 0.234) interaction on the MFIS scale.
Conclusions:
The Long-COVID group showed higher lactate concentration compared with the control group during the 12 weeks of the Nordic Walking program. The Long-COVID group presented a decrease in fatigue with respect to the control group according to the MFIS scale, as well as improvement in quality of life after aerobic exercise therapy.
Keywords: Long-COVID; COVID-19; fatigue; quality of life; lactate concentration; aerobic exercise; Nordic Walking program J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13, 1035. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13041035 https://www
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/13/4/1035
Effects of Aerobic Exercise Therapy through Nordic Walking Program in Lactate Concentrations, Fatigue and Quality-of-Life in Patients with Long-COVID Syndrome: A Non-Randomized Parallel Controlled Trial
Sofía Laguarta-Val 1 , David Varillas-Delgado 2,* , Ángel Lizcano-Álvarez 3 , Alberto Molero-Sánchez 1 , Alberto Melian-Ortiz 4 , Roberto Cano-de-la-Cuerda 1 and Carmen Jiménez-Antona 1
1 Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcon, 28922 Madrid, Spain; sofia.laguarta@urjc.es (S.L.-V.); alberto.molero@urjc.es (A.M.-S.); roberto.cano@urjc.es (R.C.-d.-l.-C.); carmen.jimenez@urjc.es (C.J.-A.)
2 Department of Exercise and Sport Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, 28223 Pozuelo, Spain
3 Department of Nursing and Stomatology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcon, 28922 Madrid, Spain; angel.lizcano@urjc.es
4 Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy, Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, 28015 Madrid, Spain; amelianor@upsa.es * Correspondence: david.varillas@ufv.es
Abstract:
Background:
Long-COVID syndrome comprises a variety of signs and symptoms that develop during or after infection with COVID-19 which may affect the physical capabilities. However, there is a lack of studies investigating the effects of Long-COVID syndrome in sport capabilities after suffering from COVID-19 infection. The purpose of the study was to evaluate and compare lactate concentration and quality of life (QoL) in patients with Long-COVID with those who have not developed non-Long-COVID during Nordic walking exercise therapy.
Methods:
Twenty-nine patients (25.5 ± 7.1 years) took part in a non-randomized controlled trial, divided into two groups: a Long-COVID group (n = 16) and a non-Long-COVID control (n = 13). Patients were confirmed as having Long-COVID syndrome if they experienced fatigue or tiredness when performing daily activities and worsening of symptoms after vigorous physical or mental activity. All participants underwent a 12-week Nordic Walking program. Lactate concentration after exercise and distance covered during all sessions were measured. Pre- and Long-Nordic Walking program, the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), and EURO QoL-5D (EQ-ED) were administered to assess fatigue and quality of life, respectively.
Results:
There was a lactate concentration effect between groups (F = 5.604; p = 0.024). However, there was no significant effect as a result of the session (F = 3.521; p = 0.121) with no interaction of group × session (F = 1.345; p = 0.414). The group main effect (F = 23.088; p < 0.001), time effect (F = 6.625; p = 0.026), and group × time (F = 4.632; p = 0.002) interaction on the SF-36 scale were noted. Also, there were a significant group main effect (F = 38.372; p < 0.001), time effect (F = 12.424; p = 0.005), and group × time interaction (F = 4.340; p = 0.014) on EQ-5D. However, there was only a significant group main effect (F = 26.235; p < 0.001) with no effect on time (F = 2.265; p = 0.160) and group × time (F = 1.584; p = 0.234) interaction on the MFIS scale.
Conclusions:
The Long-COVID group showed higher lactate concentration compared with the control group during the 12 weeks of the Nordic Walking program. The Long-COVID group presented a decrease in fatigue with respect to the control group according to the MFIS scale, as well as improvement in quality of life after aerobic exercise therapy.
Keywords: Long-COVID; COVID-19; fatigue; quality of life; lactate concentration; aerobic exercise; Nordic Walking program J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13, 1035. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13041035 https://www
