Could exercise hold the key to improving “long COVID” symptoms? Baylor Scott & White researchers explore

Though the spread of COVID-19 has thankfully waned, many people are still feeling the after-effects of what is referred to as “long COVID.” The cases of long COVID are becoming so common that lawmakersintroduced a bill to fund research into the long-term effectsof the disease and expand treatment resources for people experiencing them.

Baylor Scott & White Research Institute (BSWRI) has activated its owninitiativesaimed at studying and addressing some of these symptoms. Most recently, they launched a new study aimed at assessing the impact of exercise training on adults with persistent long COVID symptoms.

While exercise training has been shown to improve health outcomes in a multitude of conditions—cardiorespiratory disease, metabolic disease,anxiety和抑郁,以及其他rs—little is known about the impact of exercise training for people experiencing long COVID symptoms.

Through this randomized study, the team aims to establish a data-driven assessment around whether or not exercise training programs can benefit people with long COVID. What they learn could help people who are dealing with the long-lasting effects of the virus regain their health and energy.

Evaluating the impact of exercise

The study will examine the impact of a 26-week exercise training program on certain health outcomes compared to a no treatment control condition in adults with long COVID. The training program will be hybrid of in-person and home-based exercises.

Participants receive a wearable device which records activity, heart rate, oxygen saturation, skin temperature, respiratory rate and heart rate variability throughout the study.

Each participant will also complete a robust assessment before, during and after completion of the study period based upon commonly reported symptoms of long COVID. The assessment will measure the participants’ functional, cognitive, and emotional health.

• Functional testingincludes cardiopulmonary exercise testing, a functional movement screen and assessment of breathlessness.
• Cognitive testingassesses motor speed, reaction time, processing speed, inhibition, dexterity, dual processing and working memory.
• Emotional well-beingincludes a series of questionnaires regarding symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sleep impairment.

Who qualifies for the study?

Adults ages 18 to 65 may volunteer for the study. You must have a lab-confirmed or self-reported positive COVID-19 test and one or more symptoms of long COVID, including but not limited to:

• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Cognitive dysfunction
• Trouble sleeping
• Emotional struggles which began after diagnosis of COVID-19

For more information, contact the BSWRI research team at 214.603.1527 orlearn more about current research initiatives.