TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of Covid-19 on maximal oxygen uptake, physical activity, and fatigue in Saudi recreational athletes
T2 - A cross-sectional study
AU - Aldossari, Hind Alshuael
AU - Alsubaiei, Mohammed Essa
AU - Al Humoud, Shoug Yousif
AU - Aldossari, Hail Alshuael
AU - Shanb, Alsayed Abdelhameed
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Mattioli 1885.
PY - 2025/6/23
Y1 - 2025/6/23
N2 - Background: Coronavirus is a novel viral infection that emerged in late 2019. The World Health Organisation declared it a pandemic and life-threatening illness due to its detrimental impacts on multiple organ systems. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term impact of Covid-19 on maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), physical activity, and fatigue in Saudi recreational athletes. Methods: A total of 42 Saudi male and female recreational athletes participated in a cross-sectional study. They were equally and non-randomly assigned to either an experimental group (21 athletes with a history of Covid-19 infection) or a matched control group (21 healthy athletes). VO2 max, physical activity, and fatigue were measured using the COSMED Quark cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) system, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and a hand-held blood analyser, respectively. Independent t-tests and Mann-Whitney tests were used to assess significant differences between the two groups. Results: Significant reductions were observed in mean values of V̇O2 max (40.88 ± 12.94 & 50.16 ± 1.72; d = 0.75; p = 0.019), physical activity (6.81 ± 1.36&7.90 ± 0.89; d = 0.49; p = 0.006), and metabolic equivalents (12.19 ± 3.01&14.5 ± 3.39; d = 0.36; p = 0.025), in contrast, no significant differences were found in mean values for lactic acid (13.91 ± 7.44 &16.33 ± 5.44; d =-0.37; p = 0.473) or respiratory quotient (1.01 ± 0.15&0.95 ± 0.07; d =-0.27; p = 0.512) in the Covid-19 & matched control groups respectively. Conclusion: Covid-19 was associated with significant reductions in VO2 max, physical activity, and metabolic equivalents among Saudi recreational athletes compared to healthy controls. However, no significant differences were found in mean values of lactic acid or respiratory quotient. Health care providers are advised to prescribe individualised rehabilitative tailored programmes for recreational athletes with Covid-19, regardless of the time since infection. (www.actabiomedica.it).
AB - Background: Coronavirus is a novel viral infection that emerged in late 2019. The World Health Organisation declared it a pandemic and life-threatening illness due to its detrimental impacts on multiple organ systems. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term impact of Covid-19 on maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), physical activity, and fatigue in Saudi recreational athletes. Methods: A total of 42 Saudi male and female recreational athletes participated in a cross-sectional study. They were equally and non-randomly assigned to either an experimental group (21 athletes with a history of Covid-19 infection) or a matched control group (21 healthy athletes). VO2 max, physical activity, and fatigue were measured using the COSMED Quark cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) system, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and a hand-held blood analyser, respectively. Independent t-tests and Mann-Whitney tests were used to assess significant differences between the two groups. Results: Significant reductions were observed in mean values of V̇O2 max (40.88 ± 12.94 & 50.16 ± 1.72; d = 0.75; p = 0.019), physical activity (6.81 ± 1.36&7.90 ± 0.89; d = 0.49; p = 0.006), and metabolic equivalents (12.19 ± 3.01&14.5 ± 3.39; d = 0.36; p = 0.025), in contrast, no significant differences were found in mean values for lactic acid (13.91 ± 7.44 &16.33 ± 5.44; d =-0.37; p = 0.473) or respiratory quotient (1.01 ± 0.15&0.95 ± 0.07; d =-0.27; p = 0.512) in the Covid-19 & matched control groups respectively. Conclusion: Covid-19 was associated with significant reductions in VO2 max, physical activity, and metabolic equivalents among Saudi recreational athletes compared to healthy controls. However, no significant differences were found in mean values of lactic acid or respiratory quotient. Health care providers are advised to prescribe individualised rehabilitative tailored programmes for recreational athletes with Covid-19, regardless of the time since infection. (www.actabiomedica.it).
KW - aerobic capacity
KW - athletes
KW - covid-19
KW - exercise capacity
KW - fatigue
KW - physical activities
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105009387458
U2 - 10.23750/abm.v96i3.17107
DO - 10.23750/abm.v96i3.17107
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105009387458
SN - 0392-4203
VL - 96
JO - Acta Biomedica
JF - Acta Biomedica
IS - 3
M1 - 17107
ER -