Efeitos do treinamento com mat pilates presencial e remoto na reabilitação de pacientes com covid longa

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 can lead to acute and chronic negative health effects, including persistent symptoms known as long COVID. This syndrome is characterized by abnormalities and symptoms that persist beyond the initial weeks after diagnosis. Physical exercise has emerged as an effective strategy for addressing long COVID symptoms such as muscle weakness, fatigue, and functional limitations, as well as preventing the worsening of these conditions. Objective: This study investigated the effects of online and face-to-face Mat Pilates training on health outcomes in middle-aged patients with persistent symptoms of long COVID. The research resulted in two scientific articles: the first focused on fatigue and functional capacities, and the second on redox state. Methods: Forty-nine patients (52±5.85 years) diagnosed with long COVID-related fatigue symptoms were randomly allocated into three groups: online Mat Pilates training (n=16), face-to-face Mat Pilates training (n=15), and a control group (n=18) without training. Mat Pilates training was performed three times per week for 12 weeks. Fatigue, functional capacity, anthropometric variables, body composition, and cardiometabolic markers were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Results: Generalized Estimating Equations with two factors identified significant differences with Bonferroni posttests (p<0.05). After the intervention, only the face-to-face Mat Pilates training group showed improvements in total fatigue (p=0.04), physical fatigue (p=0.05), mental fatigue (p=0.01), trunk isometric strength (post:12.7±6.6kg), upper limb muscular endurance strength (post:23±4kg), and aerobic capacity (post:514±39m) (p<0.05). No significant changes were observed in fat mass, lean mass, fat-free mass, body fat percentage, body mass, body mass index, abdominal circumference, or hip circumference. Additionally, there were no significant changes in glucose, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, blood pressure, reactive oxygen species, total protein, ferric reducing antioxidante power, superoxide dismutase, catalase, total thiols, glutathione peroxidase and protein chloramine-T (p>0.05). Conclusion: Our findings highlight the potential of face-to-face Mat Pilates training as an effective intervention for mitigating persistent long COVID symptoms related to fatigue and functional capacities.