EXERCISE CAPACITY, MUSCLE FUNCTION, FUNCTIONAL BALANCE, AND COGNITIVE STATUS IN PATIENTS WITH POST COVID-19 SYNDROME COMPARED TO HEALTHY CONTROLS

Abstract

Objective: There is limited data on the effect of post-COVID-19 syndrome on functional outcomes compared with healthy uninfected individuals. This study aimed to compare the muscle function, exercise capacity, and quality of life of patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome with that of healthy controls. Method: Twenty patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome and twenty healthy controls participated in the study. The Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT) was used to measure exercise capacity, and the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) was used to assess functional balance. Quadriceps muscle strength (QMS) and handgrip strength (HGS) were measured. Assessment tools included the McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) for pain, the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) for movement fear, the Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC) for dyspnea, the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) for fatigue perception, and the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) for cognitive status. Results: The mMRC dyspnea, TSK, FSS, SF-MPQ total scores, and pain severity of patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome were higher than those of healthy controls (p<.05). Compared to the healthy group, the ISWT and %ISWT distances were significantly lower in the post-COVID-19 group (p<.05). Conclusion: Exercise capacity is negatively affected; anxiety, pain, fatigue severity, dyspnea, and kinesiophobia levels are increased in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome compared with healthy groups. However, muscle strength, balance, and cognitive function are preserved in individuals with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 infection. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs should be designed on the basis of these multiple influences with a multidisciplinary approach in the long-term rehabilitation of individuals with COVID-19 infection.