The effects of physical activity tele-counseling intervention on physical activity, functional performance, and quality of life in post-COVID-19 conditions: a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT

Background

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of tele-counseling to promote physical activity in COVID-19 survivors at the persistent phase.

Methods

Twenty-eight participants who suffered from COVID-19 were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Physical activity counseling was applied according to the transtheoretical model to the intervention group during 20 sessions. Second assessments were performed 6 weeks after the intervention. The physical activity, functional performance (4-meter gait speed; 4-MGS and 5-repetition Sit-To-Stand; STS test), exercise behavioral change and processes, quality of life, fatigue, mental health, severity of symptoms, and dyspnea were evaluated in groups.

Results

The baseline demographic and clinical outcomes were similar (p > 0.05) except for physical role limitations and general health perceptions in groups. Five-repetition STS, 4-MGS, activity dyspnea, step counts, sitting time, physical role limitations, Exercise Processes of Change Scale (EPCS) total, and behavioral processes scores except for self-liberation significantly improved in the counseling group. Five-repetition STS, 4-MGS improved while dramatic relief, self reevaluation, self-liberation, and EPCS total scores deteriorated in the control group.

Conclusions

The tele-counseling intervention contributes to improving physical activity, functional performance, behavioral change, quality of life, and decreasing common problems related to COVID-19. The results of the tele-counseling intervention are promising in post-COVID-19 conditions.

Trial registration (ClinicalTrials.gov)

Registration ID: NCT04853966.

KEYWORDS:

• Sedentary behavior
• counseling
• COVID-19
• physical fitness
• quality of life

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Author contributions

Z Çelik: Conceptualization, Methodology, Data curation, Writing-Original draft preparation, Visualization, Investigation; N Kafa and N Guzel: Conceptualization, Methodology, Visualization, Investigation, Supervision, Reviewing and Editing; N Kokturk.: Conceptualization, Visualization, Investigation, Supervision, Reviewing and Editing.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Gazi University Academic Writing Research and Application Centre for proofreading this article.

Additional information

Funding

This study is supported by the Gazi University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit under grant number [TDK-2021-7078].