Can aquatic exercises contribute to the improvement of the gait stereotype function in patients with Long COVID outcomes?

Submitted: 24 June 2022
Accepted: 25 June 2022
Published: 14 July 2022
Abstract Views: 1678
PDF: 919
HTML: 20
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Authors

A variety of rehabilitation programmes can be offered to Long COVID patients, specifically physical training. Indeed 90% of these patients reports impairments of verticalization, stability and spatial orientation, making difficult exercise in the gym. The aim of our study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of aquatic exercise techniques as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program for patients with Long COVID. The first of a two-stage program involved development of aquatic exercises technique, which was evaluated in 12 patients with impaired upright posture control before and after exercising by "Habilect" video gait analysis system. During the second phase, effectiveness and safety of aqua exercises were tested in water pool as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation programme conducted in 23 patients with Long COVID outcomes. Physical examination, 6-minute step test, Euro-QL-5D questionnaire, Borg scale, laser Doppler flowmetry, cardiointervalography, and spirometry were performed before and after the aquatic exercises program. After the training with aquatic exercises, indices of deviations of the main body axes of the head and the body mass centre ameliorated, as well as direction of body movement vector decreased (p<0.05). This study demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in exercise tolerance in both groups, as measured by the 6-minute step test after rehabilitation. The comparison group averaged 236.7 metres [126; 380] (T=8, p=0.047) after the rehabilitation course and the intervention group averaged 233.71 metres [150; 320] (T=8.0, p=0.047). When tested with the Euro-QL-5D questionnaire, a post-treatment improvement was noted in the comparison group on the anxiety/depression subscale (3 [3;3] (T=0, p=0.043)). In the intervention group, laser Doppler flowmetry revealed a statistically significant increase in microcirculation (6.36 standard units after rehabilitation) [5.54; 8.17] (T=7.0, p=0.004), and a decrease of oxidative metabolism index of 6.89 standard units. [4.76; 6.96] (T=4.0, p=0.03). No serious adverse events were reported. In conclusion, the developed aquatic exercises technique seems to contribute to recovery of impaired upright posture and motor function, normalizing the walking pattern.

Dimensions

Altmetric

PlumX Metrics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citations

Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. Available at: https://github.com/CSSEGISandData/COVID-19 Published-online May 18, 2022.
Cenko E, Badimon L, Bugiardini R, Claeys MJ, De Luca G, de Wit C, Derumeaux G, Dorobantu M, Duncker DJ, Eringa EC, Gorog DA, Hassager C, Heinzel FR, Huber K, Manfrini O, Milicic D, Oikonomou E, Padro T, Trifunovic-Zamaklar D, Vasiljevic-Pokrajcic Z, Vavlukis M, Vilahur G, Tousoulis D. Cardiovascular disease and COVID-19: a consensus paper from the ESC Working Group on Coronary Pathophysiology & Microcirculation, ESC Working Group on Thrombosis and the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care (ACVC), in collaboration with the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA). Cardiovasc Res. 2021 Dec 17;117(14):2705-2729. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvab298
Bell ML, Catalfamo CJ, Farland LV, Ernst KC, Jacobs ET, Klimentidis YC, Jehn M, Pogreba-Brown K. Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 in a non-hospitalized cohort: Results from the Arizona CoVHORT. PLoS One. 2021 Aug 4;16(8):e0254347. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254347
Huang C, Huang L, Wang Y, Li X, Ren L, Gu X, Kang L, Guo L, Liu M, Zhou X, Luo J, Huang Z, Tu S, Zhao Y, Chen L, Xu D, Li Y, Li C, Peng L, Li Y, Xie W, Cui D, Shang L, Fan G, Xu J, Wang G, Wang Y, Zhong J, Wang C, Wang J, Zhang D, Cao B. 6-month consequences of COVID-19 in patients discharged from hospital: a cohort study. Lancet. 2021 Jan 16;397(10270):220-232. Epub 2021 Jan 8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32656-8
Arnold DT, Hamilton FW, Milne A, Morley AJ, Viner J, Attwood M, Noel A, Gunning S, Hatrick J, Hamilton S, Elvers KT, Hyams C, Bibby A, Moran E, Adamali HI, Dodd JW, Maskell NA, Barratt SL. Patient outcomes after hospitalisation with COVID-19 and implications for follow-up: results from a prospective UK cohort. Thorax. 2021 Apr;76(4):399-401. Epub 2020 Dec 3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-216086
Chilazi M, Duffy EY, Thakkar A, Michos ED. COVID and Cardiovascular Disease: What We Know in 2021. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2021; 23 (7); 37. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-021-00935-2
Abramoff BA, Dillingham TR, Caldera FE, Ritchie MD, Pezzin LE. Inpatient Rehabilitation Outcomes After Severe COVID-19 Infections: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2021 Dec 1;100(12):1109-1114. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/PHM.0000000000001885
Di Caudo CG, Rivas García M, Fernández-Rodríguez I, Gómez-Jurado G, Romero Garrido M, Membrilla-Mesa M. Tratamiento rehabilitador de la infección por COVID: caracterización y seguimiento de pacientes hospitalizados en Granada, España [Rehabilitation and COVID disease: characterization and follow-up of hospitalized patients in Granada, Spain]. Rehabilitacion (Madr). 2021 Oct 6:S0048-7120(21)00095-5. Spanish. 09.001. Epub ahead of print. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rh.2021.09.001
Capin JJ, Wilson MP, Hare K, Vempati S, Little CE, McGregor D, Castillo-Mancilla J, Stevens-Lapsley JE, Jolley SE, Erlandson KM. Prospective telehealth analysis of functional performance, frailty, quality of life, and mental health after COVID-19 hospitalization. BMC Geriatr. 2022 Mar 26;22(1):251. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-02854-6
Puchner B, Sahanic S, Kirchmair R, Pizzini A, Sonnweber B, Wöll E, Mühlbacher A, Garimorth K, Dareb B, Ehling R, Wenter J, Schneider S, Brenneis C, Weiss G, Tancevski I, Sonnweber T, Löffler-Ragg J. Beneficial effects of multi-disciplinary rehabilitation in postacute COVID-19: an observational cohort study. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2021 Apr;57(2):189-198. Epub 2021 Jan 15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.23736/S1973-9087.21.06549-7
Rutsch M, Frommhold J, Buhr-Schinner H, Djeiranachvili L, Gross T, Schüller PO, Katalinic A, Deck R. Study protocol medical rehabilitation after COVID-19 disease: an observational study with a comparison group with obstructive airway disease / Re_Co. BMC Health Serv Res. 2021 Apr 22;21(1):373. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06378-4
Meshcheryakova NN, Belevskij AS, Kuleshov AV. [Guidelines pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with new coronavirus infection (covid-19) community-acquired bilateral pneumonia]. 2020. Moscow, Russia; 22 p. Available at: https://www.spulmo.ru/upload/metodichka_po_reabilitacii_covid.pdf (Accessed Mar 3, 2022). Russian.
Fesyun AD, Lobanov AA, Rachin AP, Yakovlev MY, Andronov SV, Konchugova TV, Gilmutdinova IR, Barashkov GN, Mitroshkina EE, Bogdanova EN, Lebedev YO, Nikitina AM. [Challenges and approaches to medical rehabilitation of patients with Covid-19 complications]. Bulletin of rehabilitation medicine. 2020; 97 (3): 3-13. Russian. DOI: https://doi.org/10.38025/2078-1962-2020-97-3-3-13
Ivanova GE, Bogolepova AN, Levin OS, Shamalov NA, Khasanova DR, Yanishevsky SN, Zakharov VV, Khatkova SE, Stakhovskya LV. Osnovnye napravleniya lecheniya i reabilitatsii nevrologicheskikh proyavlenii COVID-19. Rezolyutsiya soveta ekspertov [Current issues of treatment and rehabilitation of patients with neurological disorders and the consequences of COVID-19. Resolution of Advisory Board]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2021;121(6):145-151. Russian. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17116/jnevro2021121061145
Halpin SJ, McIvor C, Whyatt G, Adams A, Harvey O, McLean L, Walshaw C, Kemp S, Corrado J, Singh R, Collins T, O'Connor RJ, Sivan M. Postdischarge symptoms and rehabilitation needs in survivors of COVID-19 infection: A cross-sectional evaluation. J Med Virol. 2021 Feb;93(2):1013-1022. Epub 2020 Aug 17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.26368
World Health Organization. (‎2021)‎. A clinical case definition of post COVID-19 condition by a Delphi consensus, 6 October 2021. World Health Organization. Available at: https://apps.who. int/iris/handle/10665/345824 (Accessed Mar 31, 2022).
Wittenberg E, Thompson J, Nam CS, Franz JR. Neuroimaging of Human Balance Control: A Systematic Review. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017 Apr 10;11:170. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00170. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00170
Dijkstra BW, Bekkers EMJ, Gilat M, de Rond V, Hardwick RM, Nieuwboer A. Functional neuroimaging of human postural control: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020 Aug;115:351-362. Epub 2020 May 11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.04.028
Maccarone MC, Masiero S. Spa therapy interventions for post respiratory rehabilitation in COVID-19 subjects: does the review of recent evidence suggest a role? Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2021 Sep;28(33):46063-46066. Epub 2021 Jul 17.
Maccarone MC, Masiero S. Spa therapy interventions for post respiratory rehabilitation in COVID-19 subjects: does the review of recent evidence suggest a role? Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2021 Sep;28(33):46063-46066. Epub 2021 Jul 17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15443-8
Maccarone MC, Masiero S. Spa therapy interventions for post respiratory rehabilitation in COVID-19 subjects: does the review of recent evidence suggest a role? Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2021 Sep;28(33):46063-46066. Epub 2021 Jul 17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15443-8
Maccarone MC, Kamioka H, Cheleschi S, Tenti S, Masiero S, Kardeş S. Italian and Japanese public attention toward balneotherapy in the COVID-19 era. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2021 Nov;28(43):61781-61789. Epub 2021 Jun 29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15058-z
Antonelli M, Donelli D. Respiratory rehabilitation for post-COVID19 patients in spa centers: first steps from theory to practice. Int J Biometeorol. 2020 Oct;64(10):1811-1813. Epub 2020 Jul 24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-020-01962-5
Dondoladze K, Nikolaishvili M, Zurabashvili D. The effect of balneotherapy on the oxidative system and changes in anxiety behavior, enhanced by low doses of radon. Int J Radiat Biol. 2021;97(10):1461-1469. Epub 2021 Jul 29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09553002.2021.1956009
Dondoladze K, Nikolaishvili M, Zurabashvili D. The effect of balneotherapy on the oxidative system and changes in anxiety behavior, enhanced by low doses of radon. Int J Radiat Biol. 2021;97(10):1461-1469. Epub 2021 Jul 29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09553002.2021.1956009
Ergin G, Karadibak D, Sener HO, Gurpinar B. Effects of Aqua-Lymphatic Therapy on Lower Extremity Lymphedema: A Randomized Controlled Study. Lymphat Res Biol. 2017 Sep;15(3):284-291. Epub 2017 Sep 7. Erratum in: Lymphat Res Biol. 2018 Feb;16(1):132. PMID: 28880750. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/lrb.2017.0017.correx
Masiero S, Maccarone MC, Agostini F. Health resort medicine can be a suitable setting to recover disabilities in patients tested negative for COVID-19 discharged from hospital? A challenge for the future. Int J Biometeorol. 2020 Oct;64(10):1807-1809. Epub 2020 Jun 5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-020-01947-4

How to Cite

Lobanov, A. A. ., Irina A. Grishechkina, Andronov, S. V., Gleb N. Barashkov, Andrey I. Popov, Anatoliy D.Fesyun, Elena P. Ivanova, Maccarone, M. C., & Stefano Masiero. (2022). Can aquatic exercises contribute to the improvement of the gait stereotype function in patients with Long COVID outcomes?. European Journal of Translational Myology, 32(3). https://doi.org/10.4081/ejtm.2022.10698