209 A pilot rehabilitation programme for individuals experiencing symptoms of long-COVID: Results from a service evaluation

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, long-COVID has emerged as a public health issue. There are unique challenges when it comes to exercising for those with long-COVID. Therefore, this service evaluation aimed to highlight the impact of a 12-week physical activity instructor-led programme, delivered via video-conferencing, on mental wellbeing and physical function in individuals experiencing symptoms of long-COVID.

Thirty-three adults with long COVID, who had previously completed a physiotherapy-led rehabilitation programme, were invited to take part in a 12-week physical activity instructor-led pilot rehabilitation programme between June 2021 and August 2022. The intervention was delivered virtually, twice weekly, by two qualified physical activity instructors. Activities included strength and balance work, core-strengthening, and functional movement exercises. Outcome measures were collected at baseline, 6 weeks and 12 weeks (post-intervention), including self-reported mental wellbeing and physical function (i.e. 2-minute walk test/2MWT, 1-minute sit-to-stand test/1MSTST and handgrip dynamometry). Due to the exploratory nature of the intervention, minimal clinically important differences (MCID) were used to determine the intervention’s impact.

Twenty participants completed the full intervention (i.e. 39.4% attrition rate). On average, mental-wellbeing scores increased by 2.05±2.70 units at post-intervention compared to baseline, which is within the estimated MCID of 1-3 units. In terms of the 1MSTST, this increased by 1.25±3.45 repetitions at post-intervention compared to baseline, although did not exceed the estimated MCID of at least 3 repetitions. Distance covered in the 2MWT increased by 5.96±17.42 metres at post-intervention compared to baseline, which exceeded the estimated MCID of at least 5.50 metres. Although dominant handgrip strength increased by 3.58±6.71 kilograms at post-intervention compared to baseline, this did not exceed the estimated MCID of at least 5.00 kilograms.

A virtually delivered 12-week pilot rehabilitation programme resulted in improved mental wellbeing and aerobic capacity, in comparison to MCIDs established in other clinical populations, in individuals experiencing symptoms of long-COVID. The findings demonstrate that virtually delivered exercise interventions specifically designed for those with symptoms of long-COVID, using activities which require little-to-no equipment, may result in clinically meaningful health benefits.

This study received funding from the Belfast Health Development Unit.