Effect of telerehabilitation applied during COVID-19 isolation period on physical fitness and quality of life in overweight and obese individuals.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to examine the effects of exercise training through telerehabilitation applied during COVID-19 isolation period on overweight and obese individuals on physical fitness and quality of life. SUBJECTS/METHODS: In our study, 41 participants between the ages of 18-65 years and whose BMI values were 25 kg/m2 and above were randomly divided into two groups as telerehabilitation group (n 21) and control group (n 20). Exercise training applied to the telerehabilitation group with remote live connection included warm-up exercises, trunk stabilization exercises and breathing exercises under the supervision of a physiotherapist for 6 weeks, 3 days in a week. The control group was only informed about the importance of exercise for one session and evaluated at baseline and after 6 weeks. The physical fitness levels of individuals was assessed by Senior Fitness Test protocol and quality of life by Short Form-36. RESULTS: As a result of the study, statistically significant improvements were obtained in all parameters of physical fitness, quality of life in the telerehabilitation group (p < 0.05). In the difference values of the two groups, all parameters of physical fitness and quality of life were observed that there were statistically significant differences in favor of telerehabilitation group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: As a result, it was found that exercise training applied through telerehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic process was an effective, safe and viable approach in overweight and obese individuals. In the future, studies investigating the long-term effectiveness of telerehabilitation in this population are needed.