Lockdowns and Physical Activities: Sports in the Time of COVID

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Feb 15;19(4):2175. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19042175.

Abstract

As aging causes challenges in several countries globally, more and more people are suffering from bad health conditions. Nowadays, COVID-19 causes many problems-and one of the root causes of these problems is the isolation of people from each other. The aim of our article is to investigate the effects of COVID-19 on people's physical activity. Physical activity is strongly correlated with health status and health preservation is very important to minimize the negative effects of the pandemic. In order to investigate this topic, we prepared an extended literature review, citing the most important sources of COVID-related health-preservation issues. Our results showed that the negative economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic have caused a decrease in physical activities in several cases. A reduction in possible physical activities has a potential negative effect on the life expectancies of elderly people. In order to underline the importance of physical activities, we prepared an extended literature review, aiming to summarize the available knowledge related to COVID-19. As a conclusion we recommend to strengthen, maintain, and develop available sporting possibilities for people. The most important of these recommendations is the development of physical activities that are available for free.

Keywords: COVID-19; aging; health preservation; life expectancy; physical activities; social classes; sports.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Communicable Disease Control
  • Exercise
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • SARS-CoV-2