Web-based exercise interventions for patients with depressive and anxiety disorders: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: The number of people suffering from depression and/or anxiety has increased steadily due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this context, web-based exercise interventions have emerged as a potential treatment strategy. The objective of this study was to synthetize evidence from randomized controlled trials regarding the effects of web-based exercise interventions on patients with depressive and/or anxiety disorders. METHODS: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. Six databases were searched (Cochrane Library, EBSCO, PubMed, SciELO, Scopus, and Web of Science), and eligible articles were identified according to a PICOS inclusion-exclusion approach (participants with depressive or anxiety disorders; web-based exercise interventions; active or passive control group; assessment of changes in depressive or anxiety disorders; randomized design). Primary outcomes were depressive and/or anxiety symptoms. The quality of evidence was assessed with Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. RESULTS: Of 7,846 search results, three studies met the inclusion criteria (172 participants between 18 and 65 years of age, 95.9% women). The web-based exercise interventions lasted 8-12 weeks and involved endurance training, yoga, or combined endurance and strength training. The comparators involved non-exercise controls or active controls. Compliance rates were low. Web-based exercise interventions were not superior to controls regarding anxiety symptoms, and only one study found benefits for depressive symptoms (p ≤ 0.05). The quality of the cumulative evidence was low. CONCLUSION: The available data regarding the effects of web-based exercise interventions on depression and/or anxiety symptoms is scarce, the risk of bias is high, and the quality of the cumulative results is low. Currently, no clear recommendations can be provided. REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42021225938.

Pre-Exercise Screening Questionnaire: translation of the screening instrument related to COVID-19

A pandemia causada pela doença do coronavírus 2019 (COVID-19) e as medidas de distanciamento social provocaram reduções nos níveis de atividade física das pessoas. A atividade física está associada a uma melhor saúde física e mental, e manter a população ativa durante a pandemia é essencial. No entanto, ainda não se sabe se exercícios podem, em pessoas infectadas, causar uma potencial exacerbação de sintomas da COVID-19. O presente estudo objetivou traduzir o Pre-exercise screening questionnaire (PESQ) para o Português Brasileiro e de Portugal, para facilitar a sua utilização por profissionais ligados ao exercício físico não fluentes na língua inglesa. O PESQ contém sete perguntas diretas sobre os sintomas mais comuns de COVID-19 mais comumente encontrado em adultos e idosos, para orientação segura para prática de exercício físico. A tradução foi feita em 5 etapas: Tradução inicial, tradução cega, revisão da tradução, adequação da língua Portuguesa e ajustes e finalização. As etapas foram realizadas por pesquisadores experientes, com fluência em língua inglesa e nativos em português Brasileiro e de Portugal. No processo de tradução não houve divergências importantes entre os tradutores. A adaptação transcultural foi importante, pois, o português de Portugal difere-se do brasileiro. O instrumento foi devidamente traduzido e pode ser utilizado como ferramenta de screening para os sintomas da COVID-19 por profissionais do exercício durante a pandemia. No momento, o PESQ é a principal ferramenta disponível para prevenir danos relacionados à COVID-19 e a prática de exercícios The 2019 pandemic caused by coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and measures of social detachment caused reductions in people's physical activity levels. Physical activity is associated with better physical and mental health, and keeping the population active during the pandemic is essential. However, it remains to be determined whether exercise can potentially exacerbate symptoms of COVID-19 in infected people. This study aimed to translate the Pre-exercise screening questionnaire (PESQ) into Brazilian Portuguese and Portugal, to facilitate its use by professionals linked to physical exercise who are not fluent in the English language. The PESQ has seven questions about the most common symptoms of COVID-19 seen in adults and older adults, providing safety to perform exercise. The translation was done in 5 steps: initial translation, blind translation, revision of the translation, adequacy of the Portuguese language and adjustments and finalization. The stages were carried out by experienced researchers, fluent in English and native speakers in Brazilian and Portuguese. There was no relevant disagreement within assessor in the translating procedure. The transcultural adaptation was crucial because Portuguese language varies across Brazil and Portugal. The instrument has been properly translated and can be used as a screening tool for the symptoms of COVID-19 by exercise professionals during the pandemic. Nowadays, the PESQ is the main available tool to prevent burden regarding COVID-19 and exercise practice