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Is Exercise the Best Medicine during the COVID-19 Pandemic? Latest Insights and Research Perspectives

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 22766

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Tamara Hew-Butler

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Guest Editor

College of Education, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
Interests: fluid balance; peak performance; hyponatremia; rhabdomyolysis

Special Issue Information

The literature confirms that regular moderate exercise has clear mental, physical, and metabolic health benefits, including immunological benefits in the face of communicable disease. However, the highly contagious nature of COVID-19 has limited our ability to continue exercising indoors (i.e., in gyms and studios) or in group settings (i.e., team sport activities). Moreover, excessive and/or intense competitive exercise has been shown to negatively affect immune function, which may exacerbate infection, including with SARS-CoV-2. The question of whether exercise – particularly the resumption of competitive sports – is healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic remains a (hot) topic of contention and warrants further investigation. Thus, this Special Issue will address key issues surrounding: 1) the safety of sport as well as exercise during the current COVID-19 pandemic; 2) the utility of wearable technology and screening measures to predict and detect COVID-19 infection; and 3) the pandemic’s effect on exercise habits, physical, mental, and metabolic health. Limited pilot data are welcome in this Special Issue, acknowledging the ongoing limitations of data collection on human subjects during intermittent COVID-19 lockdowns, mask usage, and social distancing restrictions.

Dr. Tamara Hew-Butler
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.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

exercise
performance
competition
COVID-19
quarantine
fitness
athletes
conditioning
injury
wearable technology

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 396 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Changes in Stress Coping, Alcohol Use, Cigarette Smoking and Physical Activity during COVID-19 Related Lockdown in Medical Students in Poland

by Aureliusz Kosendiak, Magdalena Król, Milena Ściskalska and Marta Kepinska

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 302; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010302 - 28 Dec 2021

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4243

Abstract

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has significantly limited social contacts, thus contributing to deepening isolation. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 exerted on humanity not only a physical impact but also a psychological one, often increasing the feeling of stress. The long-term effects of such a state could include the management of depression, so our study aimed to analyze groups of medical students in different periods of the pandemic (at the beginning of the pandemic, after half a year of the pandemic, after one year of the pandemic) in order to assess the impact of this situation on coping with stress. The impact of the pandemic on the development of stress factors such as alcohol consumption and smoking was also studied. The level of physical activity in the context of coping with an uncertain situation was also assessed. The impact of the above-mentioned factors on the behavior of students, including the Mini-COPE questionnaire, AUDIT test, the Fagerström test and the IPAQ questionnaire was analyzed. It has been shown that as the pandemic and the lockdown progressed, patients consumed more often or larger amounts of alcohol, smoked more cigarettes, and levels of physical activity decreased. All these factors may have had some impact on the deterioration of coping with stress among the respondents, which would indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly contributed to an increase in the sense of stress among the students. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Is Exercise the Best Medicine during the COVID-19 Pandemic? Latest Insights and Research Perspectives)

13 pages, 1059 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pandemic-Induced Reductions on Swim Training Volume and Performance in Collegiate Swimmers

by Gloria Martinez Perez, Matthew VanSumeren, Michael Brown and Tamara Hew-Butler

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 164; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010164 - 24 Dec 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2587

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant training disruptions during the 2020–2021 season, due to lockdowns, quarantines, and strict adherence to the pandemic protocols. The main purpose of this study was to determine how the pandemic training restrictions affected training volume and performance in one collegiate swim team. Cumulative training volume data across a 28-week season were compared between a pandemic (2020–2021) versus non-pandemic (2019–2020) season. The swimmers were categorized into three groups (sprinters, mid-distance, and long-distance) based on their training group. The performance times of 25 swimmers who competed in the regional championships, during both the non-pandemic and pandemic year, were compared via one-way ANOVA. Twenty-six male and 22 female swimmers commenced the 2020–2021 (pandemic) season, with 23% of the swimmers voluntarily opting out. Three COVID-19 cases were confirmed (2%) by the medical staff, with no long-term effects. Significant reductions in the average swim volume were verified in sprinters (32,867 ± 10,135 vs. 14,800 ± 7995 yards; p < 0.001), mid-distance (26,457 ± 10,692 vs. 17,054 ± 9.923 yards; p < 0.001), and long-distance (37,600 ± 14,430 vs. 22,254 ± 14,418 yards; p < 0.001) swimmers (non-pandemic vs. pandemic season, respectively). In the regional performance analyses, the sprinters swam faster (n = 8; −0.5 ± 0.6 s), while the mid-distance (n = 10; 0.17 ± 2.1 s) and long-distance (n = 7; 6.0 ± 4.9 s) swimmers swam slower (F = 11.76; p = 0.0003; r² = 0.52). Thus, the pandemic caused significant reductions in swim training volume, with sprinters performing better and long-distance swimmers performing worse at the regional championships. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Is Exercise the Best Medicine during the COVID-19 Pandemic? Latest Insights and Research Perspectives)

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13 pages, 349 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fitness and the Crisis: Impacts of COVID-19 on Active Living and Life Satisfaction in Austria

by David Jungwirth, Chiara Amelie Weninger and Daniela Haluza

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(24), 13073; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413073 - 11 Dec 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2705

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted human lifestyles across the world. Lockdowns and home confinement decreased prior opportunities for everyday physical activity. To retrospectively assess how the Austrian population coped with these aspects of the crisis, we conducted a cross-sectional online survey from March to September 2021 using a structured questionnaire in German. In total, 1214 participants (56.9% females, mean age 37.0 years) living across Austria shared self-reported information on sociodemographic characteristics, indoor and outdoor physical activity, reasons for being outdoors, and life satisfaction before and after the emergence of the virus. As a result, overall indoor physical activity significantly decreased in a before–during COVID-19 crisis comparison, although exercising at home with online instructions increased by about 63%. Exercising outdoors increased overall, specifically in periurban forests and rural areas, both by about 9%. Life satisfaction decreased significantly by 19.7% (p < 0.001). Outdoor public places and natural environments gained importance due to restrictions affecting access to sport facilities. Further research is needed to evaluate benefits and therapeutic values of outdoor nature for physical and mental health in times of a global pandemic to maintain resilient societies, as it might impact future active living and life satisfaction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Is Exercise the Best Medicine during the COVID-19 Pandemic? Latest Insights and Research Perspectives)

8 pages, 1015 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

The Positive Role of Tai Chi in Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Suodi Xu, Julien S. Baker and Feng Ren

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(14), 7479; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147479 - 13 Jul 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 8274

Abstract

The ongoing coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed a significant threat to both people’s physical and mental health. Physical inactivity, sedentary behavior, and negative emotions among the general population have been significantly increased because of COVID-19 home confinement. These are major risk factors associated with higher incidences of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, effective exercise management should be proposed as a prevention strategy to improve both physical and mental health while diminishing the effects of COVID-19. Tai Chi as a low-to-moderate aerobic exercise combines physical and mental training and plays a positive impact on human health. Here we aim to outline the effects of Tai Chi on the immune system, inflammatory responses, pulmonary function, and emotional control. The benefits of Tai Chi practice for individuals coping with COVID-19 are stated here which include immune system promotion, inflammation response reduction, rehabilitation in respiratory diseases, and emotional improvement. This statement has been supported by available clinical, physiological, and biological research. As a result, we hope to introduce Tai Chi as an effective exercise intervention for people coping with COVID-19 and as a beneficial exercise for maintaining an active lifestyle during a pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Is Exercise the Best Medicine during the COVID-19 Pandemic? Latest Insights and Research Perspectives)

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Review

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20 pages, 2881 KiB

Open AccessReview

Women’s Lives Matter—The Critical Need for Women to Prioritize Optimal Physical Activity to Reduce COVID-19 Illness Risk and Severity

by Karla P. Garcia-Pelagio, Tamara Hew-Butler, Mariane M. Fahlman and Joseph A. Roche

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(19), 10271; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910271 - 29 Sep 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3707

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) is beneficial for the health and wellness of individuals and societies. During an infectious disease pandemic, such as the one caused by COVID-19, social distancing, quarantines, and lockdowns are used to reduce community spread of the disease. Unfortunately, such nonpharmacological interventions or physical risk mitigation measures also make it challenging to engage in PA. Reduced PA could then trigger physiological changes that affect both mental and physical health. In this regard, women are more likely to experience physical and psychological distress. PA is a safe and effective nonpharmacological modality that can help prevent and manage several mental and physical health problems when performed correctly. PA might even confer benefits that are directly related to decreasing COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in women. In this review, we summarize why optimal PA must be a priority for women during the COVID-19 pandemic. We then discuss chronic COVID-19 illness and its impact on women, which further underscores the need for worldwide preventive health strategies that include PA. Finally, we discuss the importance of vaccination against COVID-19 for women, as part of prioritizing preventive healthcare and an active lifestyle. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Is Exercise the Best Medicine during the COVID-19 Pandemic? Latest Insights and Research Perspectives)

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