Online Aerobic Exercise and Quality of Life in Non-diagnosed COVID-19 Adults

During the new coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, assessing the effects of online aerobic exercise on physical performance and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults has garnered significant interest. This study, which investigated the impact of four-week online aerobic exercise on physical performance and HRQoL in non-diagnosed COVID-19 adults, provides crucial insights. After the study was completed, the four-week online exercise program did not significantly enhance physical performance and HRQoL but increased physical activity. These findings are important for understanding the potential of online aerobic exercise. While it may not yield notable health-related benefits, it can boost physical activity in non-diagnosed COVID-19 adults.

The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has led clinicians to new and alternative methods and led the way for various practice strategies. Telehealth applications enable health professionals to transfer information, education, and training for health consumers via the Internet and telecommunication. Telehealth applications and remote assessment applications are technology and services that can be used during the COVID-19 pandemic process. In addition, practical applications can be made with the help of telephone and video in a guideline published concerning remote health applications.

The advantages of participation in exercise programs include improvements in physical performance, aerobic endurance, self-efficacy for exercise, self-assessed health, and pain relief. The COVID-19 pandemic has induced extensive disruptions to global health systems and accelerated the shift to remotely accessible counseling and home-based rehabilitation. Implementing remotely monitored exercise interventions has the advantages of greater access and accessibility and overcoming known barriers to face-to-face supervised exercise. In the COVID-19 pandemic, tele-exercise, including remote delivery of exercises via video conferencing technology, has emerged as a means for community-based programs to maintain follow-up exercise sessions while adhering to physical distancing restrictions. A previous investigation indicated that tele-yoga exercise sessions were feasible and acceptable in older adults. Social isolation, which required attention and practice during the COVID-19 pandemic, causes significant changes that negatively affect public health and physical activity levels. In the COVID-19 pandemic, remote exercise implementation methods mainly focused on patients with chronic diseases or the older population.

People who are not regularly active and have no contraindications are recommended to start and gradually increase their physical activity level. The World Health Organization guidelines for adults indicate that aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity exercises are based on solid evidence. Additionally, there needs to be randomized controlled studies in the literature regarding online physical exercise during COVID-19. Therefore, it is curious to evaluate the physical activity level and physical performance in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and how exercise interventions will affect them. In this study, we aimed to examine the effect of online exercise training on physical performance and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in non-diagnosed COVID-19 adults during the pandemic. As a hypothesis in our study, we hypothesized that four-week online exercise training would improve physical performance and HRQoL compared to the control group.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Not diagnosed with COVID-19,
* Being between 40-60 years of age,
* Having a medium level of physical activity according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF),
* Not having any mental or physical problem preventing walking, running, or jumping,
* Residing in the Muş and Denizli city provinces,
* Being able to speak and understand the local language,
* Being able to understand verbal and written information given.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Having an injury/injury affecting the lower or upper extremities within the last six months,
* Participating in any exercise or strengthening training within the previous three months.