Changes in training activity post COVID-19 infection in recreational runners and cyclists

Abstract

Background: Anecdotal evidence suggests that athletes struggle to return to exercise post COVID-19 infection. However, studies evaluating the effect of COVID-19 on athletes’ exercise activity are limited. Objectives: The objectives of this study were: (i) to describe the perceptions of recreational runners and cyclists recovering from COVID-19 on their training activity and general wellbeing, (ii) to compare device-measured training data in runners and cyclists pre- and post COVID-19, with noninfected controls that had a training interruption. Methods: Participants who were recruited via social media completed an online questionnaire (n=61), including demographic, health and COVID-19 descriptive data. In a sub-sample, device-measured training data (heart rate, time, distance and speed, n=27) were obtained from GPS devices for four weeks before infection and on resumption of training. Similar data were collected for the control group (n=9) whose training had been interrupted but by factors excluding COVID-19. Results: Most participants experienced a mild to moderate illness (91%) that was associated with a training interruption time of two-four weeks. Decreases in heart rate, relative exercise intensity, speed, time and distance were observed during the first week of returning to training for both groups, followed by an increase from Week two onwards. Discussion: Results failed to support a ‘COVID-19 effect’ on exercise activity as reductions in training variables occurred in both the COVID-19 and control groups. A possible explanation for the reductions observed is a deliberate gradual return to training by athletes post-COVID-19. Conclusion: More research is needed using device-measured training data prior to and post COVID-19 infection to better understand the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on the exercise activity of athletes.

Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Amateur Runners’ Performance: An Analysis through Monitoring Devices

“…Runners recovered their training load after 3 months, with non-significant differences in distance, duration, cadence, paces, average heart rate and maximum heart rate. In line with our results, Emeran et al [ 17 ] analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on the training of runners and cyclists also using data through a GPS monitoring device. Their participants were compared to a control group of non-infected athletes whose training had been interrupted for between two to four weeks for different reasons.…”

“…Contrary to our results, evidence suggests that 10–20% of patients continue to experience disease effects beyond 12 weeks post-diagnosis [ 6 ]. COVID-19 has had significant effects on athletes, both on their physical health and athletic performance [ 17 ]. Some of the most commonly reported effects include respiratory symptoms [ 2 ], fatigue, weakness, cardiac complications [ 3 ], decreased strength, and power [ 8 ].…”

“…One week after training interruption, decreases in maximum and average heart rate, relative exercise intensity, maximum and average speed, time, and distance trained were observed in both the COVID-19 group and the control group, thus eliminating the possibility of a COVID-19-specific effect on training activity after infection. COVID-19 affected infected runners to the same extent that the training interruption affected the control group [ 17 ].…”