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Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Exercise and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 37762

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Dr. Jennifer L. Scheid

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Health Promotion and Physical Therapy, Daemen College, Amherst, NY 14226, USA
Interests: female athlete triad; metabolism; exercise; fitness; food intake; measuring physical activity; wearable technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic. Shortly after this time, many countries entered a pause, lockdown, or shelter in place. Since that time, exercise and physical activity behavior has changed to a high proportion of at-home and virtual workouts. Additionally, while the WHO does not recommend wearing a mask while exercising and the Center for Disease and Control Prevention in the United States recognizes that it may be difficult to wear a mask during high intensity physical activities, there are many governing bodies that require the use of a face mask during physical activity in public areas.

For this Special Issue “Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic” in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, we invite submissions that examine issues related to physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic (physiological or psychosocial). We also welcome submissions on Special Issues related to physical activity behavior during COVID-19 and the impact of physical activity while wearing a face covering. High-quality narrative and systematic reviews will also be considered. All manuscripts will be peer-reviewed by experts in the field and are due in March 2022.

Dr. Jennifer L. Scheid
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

COVID-19
exercise
physical activity
at-home workouts
virtual exercise
masks
face coverings
pandemic

Published Papers (11 papers)

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15 pages, 1018 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Associations between Lifestyle Changes and Adherence to COVID-19 Restrictions in Older Adults with Hypertension

by Marco D’Addario, Roberta Adorni, Patrizia Steca, Roberto Capelli, Francesco Zanatta, Francesco Fattirolli, Cristina Franzelli, Cristina Giannattasio and Andrea Greco

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 7853; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137853 - 26 Jun 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1828

Abstract

COVID-19 has changed people’s routines and imposed new ways of living. This study investigated variations in lifestyles (namely, physical activity, diet, alcohol consumption, and cigarette smoking) between the prepandemic and the pandemic period in a sample of older adults with hypertension. Moreover, it investigated predictors of adherence to government restrictions during the first lockdown period, evidencing the role of relevant sociodemographic indicators and lifestyle changes. A sample of 105 older Italian adults (M_age = 70 years; SD = 5.83) with hypertension was enrolled from a previous longitudinal study and interviewed on the phone between May and August 2020. Updated information about sociodemographic indicators and lifestyle changes was collected. Adherence to restrictions was explored through several questions regarding compliance with home confinement, facemask use, and the observance of social distancing. Results evidenced that only 33% of the respondents abided by all the national restrictions. During the first pandemic peak, considerable changes in lifestyles occurred, particularly regarding physical activity, which diminished in 70% of the sample. Women, unemployed/retired people, and individuals who decreased their amount of physical activity reported higher adherence to rules. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle over time is essential for disease prevention. Therefore, it is essential to continue to inform the population about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and it is necessary to provide guidelines to maintain and promote it even during housebound periods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

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14 pages, 669 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perceived Exertion during Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activity While Mask Wearing: A Quantitative and Qualitative Pilot Study

by Jennifer L. Scheid, Corinne Edwards, Michael Seils and Sarah L. West

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5698; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095698 - 07 May 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1676

Abstract

There is limited research examining the perception of exertion during exercise while wearing a facemask. The current study examined if mask usage during moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA) changed the self-reported perception of exertion. Seventy-two adults (18 years and older) who were physically active before the COVID-19 pandemic completed a questionnaire that assessed exercise habits and perceptions of mask wearing during MVPA. Participants reported their ratings of perceived exertion (RPE, on a scale of 1–10) while exercising. Wearing a mask resulted in higher RPE vs. no mask during both vigorous (8.4 ± 0.2 vs. 7.4 ± 0.1; p < 0.001) and moderate PA (6.6 ± 0.2 vs. 5.6 ± 0.2; p < 0.001). Qualitative analysis revealed mostly negative perceptions of exercising while wearing a mask, including respiratory issues, detriments to cardiovascular endurance, and general discomfort. A total of 40% of participants reported that they stopped exercising in an indoor/public setting because of a mask mandate in their region. Participants reported participating in less vigorous PA (4.7 ± 0.4 vs. 4.0 ± 0.4 h/week; p = 0.046), but not less moderate PA (3.3 ± 0.3 vs. 3.0 ± 0.3 h/week; p = 0.443) pre vs. during the pandemic. Our study suggests that facemask usage during MVPA causes an increase in RPE and may be one reason for a decrease in vigorous PA during the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

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11 pages, 343 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of COVID-19 Incidence on Motivation to Participate in a Triathlon

by Joanna Poczta, Nuno Almeida, Małgorzata Paczyńska-Jędrycka and Ewa Kruszyńska

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5576; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095576 - 04 May 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1712

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many changes that have influenced the lives of people around the world and have left their mark in the world of sports, as well. Numerous restrictions resulted in the cancellation of the organization of many sports events, and the players themselves had restricted access to training. The main goal of the study was to identify the motivation to participate in a triathlon between athletes who have undergone COVID-19, those who have never been infected and those who do not know if they have ever caught the virus and to evaluate the differences between them. The assessment of the motives for participating in a sports event was conducted according to four types of orientation: social, experience, factual and results to check what benefits for well-being and self-improvement are brought about by participation in a triathlon as a mass sports event. The desire to feel unity, to develop passion, to integrate with other people and to get away from everyday life were the most important motives for those who have never been infected. It turns out that 100% of the respondents who had a history of COVID-19 disease indicated the desire to prove themselves. The desire to maintain good physical condition and health was reported by the majority of researched people, but again, all respondents (100%) who had been infected with COVID-19 indicated these motives as the most important. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

14 pages, 341 KiB

Open AccessArticle

African American Couples’ Experiences during an Exercise Intervention Interrupted by the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Case Study

by Lyndsey M. Hornbuckle, Wendy McLean Cooke, Amy Rauer and Cristina S. Barroso

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(7), 4190; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074190 - 01 Apr 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1330

Abstract

Exercise intervention researchers often struggle to transition participants from supervised/laboratory-based exercise to independent exercise. Research to inform this critical juncture remains underdeveloped. This qualitative case study investigated the transition from laboratory-based to home-based training in a subset of middle-aged and older African American couples whose exercise intervention experience was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. All four couples (N = 8) whose study participation was interrupted participated in dyadic interviews by videoconference. Two investigators independently reviewed verbatim transcripts, and then used an iterative open coding approach to identify themes from the qualitative data. Three main themes were identified: (1) resistance training program modifications, (2) partner interactions, and (3) external pandemic-related factors. Each theme included both positive and negative feedback related to participants’ experiences. Overall, virtual, home-based training appeared acceptable and feasible in this group. Further research is needed to investigate the utility of virtual training to effectively transition participants from laboratory-based to independent exercise. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

13 pages, 934 KiB

Open AccessArticle

COVID-19: Physical Activity and Quality of Life in a Sample of Swiss School Children during and after the First Stay-at-Home

by Valentin Benzing, Patrice Gaillard, David Scheidegger, Alain Dössegger, Claudio R. Nigg and Mirko Schmidt

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2231; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042231 - 16 Feb 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2514

Abstract

COVID-19 restrictions and the instructions to stay at home (SaH) may have had an impact on child behavior including physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Switzerland. Therefore, we investigated PA and HRQoL during and after the SaH in 57 Swiss school children aged 7 to 12 years (M = 10.44; SD = 1.34). PA was measured using accelerometry (Actigraph GT3X) and HRQoL using the Kid-KINDL^R questionnaire. During and post data was compared using paired sample t-tests. Independent t-tests were used to compare the HRQoL of physically active children with non-physically active children. PA in light (d = −0.56), moderate (d = −0.44), moderate-to-vigorous (d = −0.28) as well as overall HRQoL (d = −0.66), psychological well-being (d = −0.48), self-esteem (d = −0.39), friends (d = −0.70) and everyday functioning (d = −0.44), were significantly lower during SaH than afterwards. Children who adhered to PA recommendations (+60 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA) during SaH had a better overall HRQoL (d = 0.61) and psychological well-being (d = 0.56) than those who did not. Since PA levels and HRQoL were lower during SaH compared to afterwards, it seems that the restrictions negatively impacted children’s PA and HRQoL. During future SaHs, promoting children’s PA and HRQoL seems important. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

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15 pages, 830 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Association between the Physical Activity Behavioral Profile and Sedentary Time with Subjective Well-Being and Mental Health in Chilean University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Daniel Reyes-Molina, Jesús Alonso-Cabrera, Gabriela Nazar, Maria Antonia Parra-Rizo, Rafael Zapata-Lamana, Cristian Sanhueza-Campos and Igor Cigarroa

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2107; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042107 - 13 Feb 2022

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4188

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the association between the behavioral profile of physical activity and sedentary time with subjective well-being and mental health in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile. Methods: Cross-sectional study in a voluntary sample of 469 university students (22.4 ± 0.19 years; 66% women). According to students’ self-reports of physical activity and sedentary time, four behavioral profiles were created to investigate their association with subjective well-being and mental health using one-factor ANOVA that was adjusted to a multifactorial model. Results: The physically inactive and sedentary behavior profile presents the lowest levels of subjective well-being (p < 0.001), positive affective experiences (p < 0.001) and general mental health (p = 0.001). When adjusting for confounding variables, it was observed that the physically active and non-sedentary profile was associated with better general mental health (p < 0.01) in contrast to those who are physically active and sedentary. Conclusions: Chilean university students with a physically inactive and sedentary profile during the pandemic presented worse well-being and mental health, with a sedentary lifestyle being one of the variables that most affects the mental health of these students. Therefore, measures should be implemented to encourage this population to maintain adequate levels of physical activity and reduce sedentary times. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

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13 pages, 672 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lower-Limb Muscle Contractile Properties, Explosive Power and the Subjective Response of Elite Soccer Players to the COVID-19 Lockdown

by Armin H. Paravlic, Bostjan Simunic, Sasa Pisot, Matej Kleva, Kaja Teraz, Matjaz Vogrin, Uros Marusic and Rado Pisot

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 474; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010474 - 01 Jan 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2385

Abstract

The present study examined the effects of the lockdown period on basic anthropometric measures, countermovement jumping performance, skeletal muscle contractile properties derived from tensiomyography (TMG), injury incidence, and self-assessed general well-being in elite soccer players. A total of 266 players were assessed before (PRE) and 32 players were reassessed 11 days after (POST) the COVID-19 period. Significant changes in the TMG parameters were observed POST compared to PRE: contraction time (Tc) increased from 6% to 50% in vastus lateralis [VL] (p = 0.009) and biceps femoris [BF] (p < 0.001), respectively; whereas radial displacement (Dm) increased for 19% in BF (p = 0.036) and 17% in VL (p < 0.001), respectively. Jumping performance remained unchanged from PRE to POST In addition, athletes rated the lockdown period as a positive event and felt psychologically better during the lockdown, primarily because they spent more time with family members and friends. Although there were no differences in any of the variables describing lower limb muscle power following the two-month lockdown, the altered contractile properties of the assessed muscles suggest suboptimal conditioning of the football players. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

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16 pages, 351 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Acceptability of a Co-Produced Long COVID Intervention in an Underserved Community in the UK

by Sally Fowler-Davis, Rachel Young, Tom Maden-Wilkinson, Waqas Hameed, Elizabeth Dracas, Eleanor Hurrell, Romila Bahl, Elisabeth Kilcourse, Rebecca Robinson and Robert Copeland

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(24), 13191; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413191 - 14 Dec 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3885

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected people from more deprived communities. The experience of Long COVID is similarly distributed but very few investigations have concentrated on the needs of this population. The aim of this project was to co-produce an acceptable intervention for people with Long COVID living in communities recognised as more deprived. Methods: The intervention was based on a multi-disciplinary team using approaches from sport and exercise medicine and functional rehabilitation. The co-production process was undertaken with a stakeholder advisory group and patient public involvement representation. This study identified participants by postcode and the indices of multiple deprivation (IMD); recruitment and engagement were supported by an existing health and wellbeing service. A virtual ‘clinic’ was offered with a team of professional practitioners who met participants three times each; to directly consider their needs and offer structured advice. The acceptability of the intervention was based on the individual’s participation and their completion of the intervention. Results: Ten participants were recruited with eight completing the intervention. The partnership with an existing community health and wellbeing service was deemed to be an important way of reaching participants. Two men and six women ages ranging from 38 to 73 were involved and their needs were commonly associated with fatigue, anxiety and depression with overall de-conditioning. None reported serious hardship associated with the pandemic although most were in self-employment/part-time employment or were not working due to retirement or ill-health. Two older participants lived alone, and others were single parents and had considerable challenges associated with managing a household alongside their Long COVID difficulties. Conclusions: This paper presents the needs and perspectives of eight individuals involved in the process and discusses the needs and preferences of the group in relation to their support for self- managed recovery from Long COVID. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

12 pages, 509 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Synchronous Online Physical Education Classes Using Tabata Training on Adolescents during COVID-19: A Randomized Controlled Study

by Kwang-Jin Lee, Byungjoo Noh and Keun-Ok An

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(19), 10305; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910305 - 30 Sep 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3267

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of online physical education classes, using Tabata training, on middle school students’ physical fitness. Fifty-four adolescents were randomly assigned to either the asynchronous online class group (AOCG, n = 24, age: 15.8 ± 0.4 years) or the synchronous online class group (SOCG, n = 24 age: 15.9 ± 0.3 years). The online physical education class lasted two days per week for 10 weeks. Recorded video lectures were conducted for the AOCG, and Tabata training for the SOCG, as real-time lecture methods. Baseline and post-online physical education class measures included muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, balance, and cardiorespiratory fitness tests. The results showed that the synchronous online physical education class had a positive effect on the improvement of muscle mass, ankle strength (dorsiflexion), hip strength (abduction, flexion, extension, and external rotation), knee strength (extension and flexion), and balance (Y-balance test) in adolescents. These findings suggest that the physical fitness of adolescents can be sufficiently improved through appropriate online physical education class methods. Further research should focus on developing and evaluating different types of exercises for synchronous online physical education classes as a precautionary measure for the second wave of COVID-19. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

13 pages, 1380 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predictors of Changes in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Turkish Migrant Cohort in Germany

by Lilian Krist, Christina Dornquast, Thomas Reinhold, Katja Icke, Ina Danquah, Stefan N. Willich, Heiko Becher and Thomas Keil

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(18), 9682; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189682 - 14 Sep 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2590

Abstract

The new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting response measures have led to severe limitations of people’s exercise possibilities with diminished physical activity (PA) and increased sedentary behavior (SB). Since for migrant groups in Germany, no data is available, this study aimed to investigate factors associated with changes in PA and SB in a sample of Turkish descent. Participants of a prospective cohort study (adults of Turkish descent, living in Berlin, Germany) completed a questionnaire regarding COVID-19 related topics including PA and SB since February 2020. Changes in PA and SB were described, and sociodemographic, migrant-related, and health-related predictors of PA decrease and SB increase were determined using multivariable regression analyses. Of 106 participants, 69% reported a decline of PA, 36% reported an increase in SB. PA decrease and SB increase seemed to be associated with inactivity before the pandemic as well as with the female sex. SB increase appeared to be additionally associated with educational level and BMI. The COVID-19 pandemic and the response measures had persistent detrimental effects on this migrant population. Since sufficient PA before the pandemic had the strongest association with maintaining PA and SB during the crisis, the German government and public health professionals should prioritize PA promotion in this vulnerable group. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

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48 pages, 3353 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Changes in Physical Activity Patterns Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by Kathrin Wunsch, Korbinian Kienberger and Claudia Niessner

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2250; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042250 - 16 Feb 2022

Cited by 138 | Viewed by 10657

Abstract

With the outbreak of the Corona Virus Disease 19 (Covid-19) in late 2019, governments increasingly imposed containment strategies, including social distancing as well as restricted population movement, potentially having negative impacts on mental and physical health. A growing number of studies have examined the impact of the pandemic on different facets of physical activity (PA); an overview combining these (mixed) results, however, is missing. Thus, the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate whether and to which extent PA changed from before to during the Covid-19 pandemic, taking age, gender, and measurement method into account. The literature search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Results of the main characteristics were descriptively synthesized and analyzed in a meta-analysis quantifying effects of the pandemic on PA divided by age groups, with additional subgroup analyses of the characteristics age, gender, and measurement method being narratively synthesized. Overall, 57 studies with a total sample size of 119,094 participants (N between 10 and 60,560 subjects) from 14 countries worldwide with participants aged between four and 93 years were included. Thirty-two studies revealed a significant decline in PA, whereas only five studies found a significant increase in PA during the Covid-19 pandemic. Fourteen studies revealed mixed results. PA decreased in all age groups, independent of gender. Most self-reported and all device-based measurement methods showed a reduction in PA. However, effects were not found to be significant in all age groups. Nevertheless, the declining trend should be noted and governments should strive to enable PA within periods of pandemic restrictions, or promote alternatives such as digital training to avoid negative health consequences within the population. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

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