Return To Exercise Post COVID
Return To Exercise Post COVID
Contemporary research tells us that exercise can reduce the incidence of communicable diseases, such as COVID-19 (Campbell and Turner, 2018). Further, exercise has been shown to enhance the immune system in the aging population (Simpson et al., 2012).
Conversely, physical inactivity has been linked to a higher risk of more severe COVID outcomes (Sallis et al., 2021).
As the pandemic has evolved, Post-COVID syndrome, has become an increasing concern for many patients. The good news is that exercise has been recognised to have significant benefits in COVID-19 recovery (Jimeno-Almazán et al., 2021).
The benefits include:
Psychological: increase wellbeing, reduce stress, modulate pain
Musculoskeletal: increase muscle strength & mass, increase exercise tolerance
Cardiovascular: increase cardiovascular function, reduce blood pressure
Respiratory: reduce shortness of breath, increase lung function
Neurological: increase sleep quality, reduce cognitive dysfunction
When returning to exercise post COVID it is important to take things at your own pace and avoid overexertion while your body is still recovering. Our 1:1 and 4:1 small group session are a great way to return to exercise at a pace that suits your individual needs, whilst under the supervision of a health professional.
The British Journal of Medicine has released a helpful, evidence-based guide to returning to exercise post COVID, with the key message that returning to exercise should be graduated and individual.
The guide recommends a 5 phased return to physical activity.
Exertion levels during activity are monitored using the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale (as below).
The phases for return to exercise are as follows:
Phase 1: RPE 6-8:
light activity in preparation for return to exercise // rest, breathwork, stretching, balance, gentle walking
Phase 2: RPE 6-11:
low intensity exercise // walking, light yoga/Pilates, household/garden tasks
Phase 3: RPE 12-14:
moderate intensity aerobic exercise +/- strength // exercise in 5min intervals x 2 with a block of recovery
Phase 4: RPE 12-14:
moderate intensity aerobic exercise + strength challenge + coordination/functional skills // 5 min intervals x 2 with a block of recovery + an additional 5min interval each day as tolerated
Phase 5: RPE >15:
return to baseline level of exercise // resume regular exercise routine
Our physiotherapist, Jacinta, talks through this more below:
Other considerations when considering return to physical activity include:
Pre-existing injuries: old injuries often like to rear their heads following a period of rest. It is important to get these checked to reduce the risk of re-injury
Mental health: are you feeling ready to start exercising again?
Nutrition: are fuelling your body to ensure optimal recovery post exercise?
Sleep: are you getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night?
The Pelvic Studio offers 1:1, 2:1 and 4:1 exercise rehabilitation classes that offer a mix of reformer Pilates, functional/gym based exercise, and yoga inspired stretching.
These sessions are run by our experienced physiotherapists in a safe tranquil environment. Our programs are individualised and tailored to your goals. These exercise rehab sessions are the perfect way to ease back into exercise post COVID-19, or after a period of rest (such as post birth or general musculoskeletal injury).
If you have any questions, feel free to email the clinic at info@thepelvicstudio.com
This blog is courtesy of the following resources:
Campbell, J.P. and Turner, J.E. (2018). Debunking the Myth of Exercise-Induced Immune Suppression: Redefining the Impact of Exercise on Immunological Health Across the Lifespan. Frontiers in Immunology, 9.
Health, A.G.D. of (2021). Allied Health professional resource for group therapy Borg scale. [online] Australian Government Department of Health. Available at: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/allied-health-professional-resource-for-group-therapy-borg-scale [Accessed 6 Apr. 2022].
Jimeno-Almazán, A., Pallarés, J.G., Buendía-Romero, Á., Martínez-Cava, A., Franco-López, F., Sánchez-Alcaraz Martínez, B.J., Bernal-Morel, E. and Courel-Ibáñez, J. (2021). Post-COVID-19 Syndrome and the Potential Benefits of Exercise. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, [online] 18(10). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8156194/.
Sallis, R., Young, D.R., Tartof, S.Y., Sallis, J.F., Sall, J., Li, Q., Smith, G.N. and Cohen, D.A. (2021). Physical inactivity is associated with a higher risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes: a study in 48 440 adult patients. British Journal of Sports Medicine, [online] 55(19). Available at: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2021/04/07/bjsports-2021-104080.citation-tools.
Simpson, R.J., Lowder, T.W., Spielmann, G., Bigley, A.B., LaVoy, E.C. and Kunz, H. (2012). Exercise and the aging immune system. Ageing Research Reviews, 11(3), pp.404–420.