Physical activity & Long-COVID-Syndrome

The proposed research project aims to explore an individualized endurance-oriented training intervention program for patients with persistent symptoms after an infection with SARS-CoV-2 (Long-COVID-Syndrome) in terms of its basic safety, feasibility and general effectiveness, as well as to derive concrete recommendations for a training intervention programm. The project will be carried out within a period of 12 months in the sense of a pilot project. The overall goal of the research project is to develop recommendations for specific exercise programs capable of improving the overall health status of Long-COVID patients through physical activity. Necessary structures for recruitment and ongoing randomization of study participants will be established in order to include a total of 60 probands in the study showing Long-COVID symptoms, especially cardiological and respiratory fitness parameters, but also the development of general Long-COVID-associated symptoms (e.g., headache, fatigue, exhaustion) (n=30 intervention arm, n=30 control arm). Subjects will be recruited from the existing study population from the COVID-19 health study taking place at IMIBE. These subjects will undergo comprehensive sports medicine examinations in monitored entry examinations and with a repeated examination 3 months after inclusion in the study. The study data will be controlled, maintained and managed by data managers to ensure a high quality of data for subsequent scientific data analyses, which will be published in peer-reviewed journals. The study results may serve as the basis for future studies to confirm and quantify the effectiveness of specific training programs. Study results will also indicate whether reduced physical activity, as a result of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, is part of the underlying causes of persistent COVID-19- symptom.