Telerehabilitation is Effective to Recover Functionality and Increase Skeletal Muscle Mass Index in COVID-19 Survivors

Jorge Cancino-López; Patricio Zarricueta Vergara; Bárbara Leyton Dinamarca; Pedro Figueroa Contreras; Luis Miño Cárcamo; Nicolás Cartagena Ibarra; Johana Soto-Sánchez

doi:10.5195/ijt.2021.6415

Telerehabilitation is Effective to Recover Functionality and Increase Skeletal Muscle Mass Index in COVID-19 Survivors

Int J Telerehabil. 2021 Dec 16;13(2):e6415. doi: 10.5195/ijt.2021.6415. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Jorge Cancino-López¹, Patricio Zarricueta Vergara², Bárbara Leyton Dinamarca³, Pedro Figueroa Contreras², Luis Miño Cárcamo², Nicolás Cartagena Ibarra³, Johana Soto-Sánchez⁴

Affiliations

¹ Exercise Physiology and Metabolism Laboratory, Medicine Faculty, Finis Terrae University, Santiago, Chile.
² Sports Corporation of Florida, Chile.
³ Institute Of Nutrition And Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
⁴ Department of Physical Activity, Faculty of Sciences of Physical Activity and Sports, Research Laboratory in Physical Activity and Sport. University of Playa Ancha, Valparaiso, Chile.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a telerehabilitation program for COVID-19 survivors on their functionality, aerobic capacity, upper-lower body strength and skeletal muscle mass index.

Methods: Fifty patients (22 M); age 54.1±15.4 who became ill with COVID-19 during 2020 completed a 24-session telerehabilitation program. The following measures were taken: Barthel's index, two minutes step test (2MST), elbow flexion one-repetition maximal (1RM), short physical performance battery (SPPB), hand grip strength, 30-second chair stand, skeletal muscle index (SMI), body fat percentage, resting pulse, arterial blood pressure, and pulse oximetry.

Results: There was a significant increase in the Barthel index (p≤0.0001), 2MST (p≤0.0001), 1RM elbow flexion (p≤0.0001), SPPB (p≤0.0001), hand grip strength (p≤0.0001), 30-second chair stand (p≤0.000l), and SMI (p≤0.0001).

Conclusion: A 24 session in-home telerehabilitation program promoted the recovery of physical independence and increases in skeletal muscle mass index and physical fitness.

Keywords: Barthel index; COVID-19; Hand grip strength; Physical therapy; Skeletal muscle mass; Telerehabilitation.