Publication date: Jul 11, 2024
The purpose of our study was to obtain evidence that an unsupervised tele-exercise program (TE) via an online platform is a feasible alternative to a hybrid mode of supervised and unsupervised exercise (HE) sessions for improving fitness indexes, respiratory and cognitive functions, and biomarkers of oxidative stress in patients recovering from COVID-19. Forty-nine patients with long post-COVID-19 were randomly divided into two groups (HE: n = 24, age 60. 0 +/- 9. 5 years versus TE: n = 25, age 58. 7 +/- 9. 5 years). For each patient, we collected data from body composition, oxidative stress, pulmonary function, physical fitness, and cognitive function before and after the 12-week exercise rehabilitation program (ERP). Our data showed differences in both groups before and after 12-week ERP on fitness indicators, body composition, and pulmonary function indicators. Our findings demonstrated differences between groups after 12-week ERP on adjustment in the domains of cognitive function (HE increased the “visuospatial” domain: 3. 2 +/- 1. 1 versus 3. 5 +/- 0. 8 score, p = 0. 008 and TE increased the “memory” domain: 3. 3 +/- 1. 0 versus 3. 8 +/- 0. 5 score, p = 0. 003; after 12-week ERP showed differences between groups in domain “attention” TE: 4. 8 +/- 1. 5 versus HE: 3. 6 +/- 1. 8 score, p = 0. 014) and the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (HE increased the percent of predicted values at 0. 5 +/- 32. 3% and TE at 26. 0 +/- 33. 1%, p < 0. 001). These findings may be attributed to the different ways of learning exercise programs, resulting in the recruitment of different neural circuits.
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| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Biomarkers | cognitive |
| Fitness | COVID-19 |
| Pulmonary | hybrid exercise |
| Week | tele-exercise |
| tele-rehabilitation |