1.The Emerging Role of Exercise and Optimal Exercise Prescription for Improving the Symptoms of Long COVID
Tae Gu CHOI ; Jae Yeop KIM ; Setor K KUNUTSOR ; Sae Young JAE
The Korean Journal of Sports Medicine 2023;41(3):119-129
Long COVID has emerged as a global medical challenge, characterized by persistent symptoms such as fatigue, dyspnea, and exercise intolerance following a coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) infection. The protracted nature of these symptoms necessitates the development of effective therapeutic approaches to alleviate the burden on individuals’ well-being and the healthcare system at large. While current pharmacological interventions offer limited efficacy, the exploration of alternative strategies becomes imperative. Exercise training has demonstrated promise in ameliorating long COVID symptoms, yet consensus regarding the optimal exercise modalities remains elusive. In light of this, the present review aims to elucidate the impact of exercise on long COVID symptoms and shed light on exercise prescriptions that have exhibited proven efficacy in the treatment and management of this syndrome.
2.The Association between Weekend Warrior Physical Activity Patterns and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Korean Adults
Chulmin GAHM ; Sangshin PARK ; Byongho TCHOE ; Setor K. KUNUTSOR ; Sae Young JAE
The Korean Journal of Sports Medicine 2022;40(4):234-241
Purpose:
Few studies that have evaluated the relationships between physical activity (PA) patterns of weekend warriors (i.e., individuals who perform all their weekly exercises in one or two sessions) and health outcomes have reported inconsistent findings. The present study sought to examine the association between weekend warrior PA patterns and cardiometabolic risk factors in Korean adults.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study included 29,543 men and women who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2014 and 2019. The weekend warrior PA was defined as at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity or at least 75 minutes/week of vigorous-intensity PA concentrated in one or two sessions/week.
Results:
Compared with the inactive PA patterns, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) between the weekend warrior PA patterns and cardiometabolic risk factors were 0.89 (0.69–1.15) for hypertension, 0.81 (0.55–1.17) for diabetes, 0.92 (0.69–1.22) for dyslipidemia, 1.10 (0.91–1.34) for obesity, and 1.0 (0.83–1.27) for metabolic syndrome. Regularly active PA patterns, however, had lower odds of diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Conclusion
Our results suggested that no evidence of significant associations between the weekend warrior PA patterns and cardiometabolic risk factors in a representative Korean population. Large-scale prospective cohort studies are warranted to confirm or refute these findings.
3.Effects of Combined Exercise Training on Symptoms and Physical Fitness in Young Adults with Mild Long COVID
Tae Gu CHOI ; Jae Yeop KIM ; Ho Jeong MIN ; Hyun Jeong KIM ; Kanokwan BUNSAWAT ; Setor K KUNUTSOR ; Kevin S HEFFERNAN ; Sae Young JAE
The Korean Journal of Sports Medicine 2025;43(1):1-12
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to examine whether a combined exercise (EX), including aerobic, resistance, and inspiratory muscle training, reduces fatigue and dyspnea, improves physical fitness, and if increased physical fitness after exercise is associated with attenuating symptoms in young adults with mild long coronavirus disease (COVID) symptoms.
Methods:
Twenty-eight young adults (aged 23±4 years) with long COVID were randomly assigned to either the EX group (n=14), which underwent aerobic, resistance, and inspiratory muscle training three times per week for 8 weeks, or the control (CON) group (n=14). Symptoms of dyspnea and fatigue were assessed using self-report questionnaires.Cardiorespiratory fitness was directly measured during cardiopulmonary exercise testing, while muscle strength was measured by isokinetic muscle testing. These variables were measured before and after the exercise intervention.
Results:
Compared to the CON group, the EX group showed improvements in symptoms of fatigue and dyspnea, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2peak ), and peak torque, with significant interaction effects observed (p< 0.05). The EX group exhibited a mean difference of 2.9 mL/kg/min in VO2peak (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8−4.0) and 13.0 Nm (95% CI, 6.1−19.8) in peak torque compared to the CON group (p<0.05). Improvements in VO2peak were negatively associated with attenuations in both fatigue and dyspnea after the exercise intervention (p<0.05).
Conclusion
These findings indicate that EX training can effectively alleviate symptoms and improve physical fitness in young adults with mild long COVID. Structured exercise training may serve as an effective intervention to improve the health of those with long COVID.
4.Effects of Combined Exercise Training on Symptoms and Physical Fitness in Young Adults with Mild Long COVID
Tae Gu CHOI ; Jae Yeop KIM ; Ho Jeong MIN ; Hyun Jeong KIM ; Kanokwan BUNSAWAT ; Setor K KUNUTSOR ; Kevin S HEFFERNAN ; Sae Young JAE
The Korean Journal of Sports Medicine 2025;43(1):1-12
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to examine whether a combined exercise (EX), including aerobic, resistance, and inspiratory muscle training, reduces fatigue and dyspnea, improves physical fitness, and if increased physical fitness after exercise is associated with attenuating symptoms in young adults with mild long coronavirus disease (COVID) symptoms.
Methods:
Twenty-eight young adults (aged 23±4 years) with long COVID were randomly assigned to either the EX group (n=14), which underwent aerobic, resistance, and inspiratory muscle training three times per week for 8 weeks, or the control (CON) group (n=14). Symptoms of dyspnea and fatigue were assessed using self-report questionnaires.Cardiorespiratory fitness was directly measured during cardiopulmonary exercise testing, while muscle strength was measured by isokinetic muscle testing. These variables were measured before and after the exercise intervention.
Results:
Compared to the CON group, the EX group showed improvements in symptoms of fatigue and dyspnea, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2peak ), and peak torque, with significant interaction effects observed (p< 0.05). The EX group exhibited a mean difference of 2.9 mL/kg/min in VO2peak (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8−4.0) and 13.0 Nm (95% CI, 6.1−19.8) in peak torque compared to the CON group (p<0.05). Improvements in VO2peak were negatively associated with attenuations in both fatigue and dyspnea after the exercise intervention (p<0.05).
Conclusion
These findings indicate that EX training can effectively alleviate symptoms and improve physical fitness in young adults with mild long COVID. Structured exercise training may serve as an effective intervention to improve the health of those with long COVID.
5.Effects of Combined Exercise Training on Symptoms and Physical Fitness in Young Adults with Mild Long COVID
Tae Gu CHOI ; Jae Yeop KIM ; Ho Jeong MIN ; Hyun Jeong KIM ; Kanokwan BUNSAWAT ; Setor K KUNUTSOR ; Kevin S HEFFERNAN ; Sae Young JAE
The Korean Journal of Sports Medicine 2025;43(1):1-12
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to examine whether a combined exercise (EX), including aerobic, resistance, and inspiratory muscle training, reduces fatigue and dyspnea, improves physical fitness, and if increased physical fitness after exercise is associated with attenuating symptoms in young adults with mild long coronavirus disease (COVID) symptoms.
Methods:
Twenty-eight young adults (aged 23±4 years) with long COVID were randomly assigned to either the EX group (n=14), which underwent aerobic, resistance, and inspiratory muscle training three times per week for 8 weeks, or the control (CON) group (n=14). Symptoms of dyspnea and fatigue were assessed using self-report questionnaires.Cardiorespiratory fitness was directly measured during cardiopulmonary exercise testing, while muscle strength was measured by isokinetic muscle testing. These variables were measured before and after the exercise intervention.
Results:
Compared to the CON group, the EX group showed improvements in symptoms of fatigue and dyspnea, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2peak ), and peak torque, with significant interaction effects observed (p< 0.05). The EX group exhibited a mean difference of 2.9 mL/kg/min in VO2peak (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8−4.0) and 13.0 Nm (95% CI, 6.1−19.8) in peak torque compared to the CON group (p<0.05). Improvements in VO2peak were negatively associated with attenuations in both fatigue and dyspnea after the exercise intervention (p<0.05).
Conclusion
These findings indicate that EX training can effectively alleviate symptoms and improve physical fitness in young adults with mild long COVID. Structured exercise training may serve as an effective intervention to improve the health of those with long COVID.
6.Effects of Combined Exercise Training on Symptoms and Physical Fitness in Young Adults with Mild Long COVID
Tae Gu CHOI ; Jae Yeop KIM ; Ho Jeong MIN ; Hyun Jeong KIM ; Kanokwan BUNSAWAT ; Setor K KUNUTSOR ; Kevin S HEFFERNAN ; Sae Young JAE
The Korean Journal of Sports Medicine 2025;43(1):1-12
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to examine whether a combined exercise (EX), including aerobic, resistance, and inspiratory muscle training, reduces fatigue and dyspnea, improves physical fitness, and if increased physical fitness after exercise is associated with attenuating symptoms in young adults with mild long coronavirus disease (COVID) symptoms.
Methods:
Twenty-eight young adults (aged 23±4 years) with long COVID were randomly assigned to either the EX group (n=14), which underwent aerobic, resistance, and inspiratory muscle training three times per week for 8 weeks, or the control (CON) group (n=14). Symptoms of dyspnea and fatigue were assessed using self-report questionnaires.Cardiorespiratory fitness was directly measured during cardiopulmonary exercise testing, while muscle strength was measured by isokinetic muscle testing. These variables were measured before and after the exercise intervention.
Results:
Compared to the CON group, the EX group showed improvements in symptoms of fatigue and dyspnea, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2peak ), and peak torque, with significant interaction effects observed (p< 0.05). The EX group exhibited a mean difference of 2.9 mL/kg/min in VO2peak (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8−4.0) and 13.0 Nm (95% CI, 6.1−19.8) in peak torque compared to the CON group (p<0.05). Improvements in VO2peak were negatively associated with attenuations in both fatigue and dyspnea after the exercise intervention (p<0.05).
Conclusion
These findings indicate that EX training can effectively alleviate symptoms and improve physical fitness in young adults with mild long COVID. Structured exercise training may serve as an effective intervention to improve the health of those with long COVID.
7.Effects of Combined Exercise Training on Symptoms and Physical Fitness in Young Adults with Mild Long COVID
Tae Gu CHOI ; Jae Yeop KIM ; Ho Jeong MIN ; Hyun Jeong KIM ; Kanokwan BUNSAWAT ; Setor K KUNUTSOR ; Kevin S HEFFERNAN ; Sae Young JAE
The Korean Journal of Sports Medicine 2025;43(1):1-12
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to examine whether a combined exercise (EX), including aerobic, resistance, and inspiratory muscle training, reduces fatigue and dyspnea, improves physical fitness, and if increased physical fitness after exercise is associated with attenuating symptoms in young adults with mild long coronavirus disease (COVID) symptoms.
Methods:
Twenty-eight young adults (aged 23±4 years) with long COVID were randomly assigned to either the EX group (n=14), which underwent aerobic, resistance, and inspiratory muscle training three times per week for 8 weeks, or the control (CON) group (n=14). Symptoms of dyspnea and fatigue were assessed using self-report questionnaires.Cardiorespiratory fitness was directly measured during cardiopulmonary exercise testing, while muscle strength was measured by isokinetic muscle testing. These variables were measured before and after the exercise intervention.
Results:
Compared to the CON group, the EX group showed improvements in symptoms of fatigue and dyspnea, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2peak ), and peak torque, with significant interaction effects observed (p< 0.05). The EX group exhibited a mean difference of 2.9 mL/kg/min in VO2peak (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8−4.0) and 13.0 Nm (95% CI, 6.1−19.8) in peak torque compared to the CON group (p<0.05). Improvements in VO2peak were negatively associated with attenuations in both fatigue and dyspnea after the exercise intervention (p<0.05).
Conclusion
These findings indicate that EX training can effectively alleviate symptoms and improve physical fitness in young adults with mild long COVID. Structured exercise training may serve as an effective intervention to improve the health of those with long COVID.