'I Live a Kind of Shadow Life': Individual Experiences of COVID-19 Recovery and the Impact on Physical Activity Levels.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
; 18(21)2021 Oct 29.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1488586
ABSTRACT
Understanding of strategies to support individuals recovering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is limited. 'Long COVID' is a multisystem disease characterised by a range of respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neurological, and musculoskeletal symptoms extending beyond 12 weeks. The aim of this study was to explore individuals' experiences of recovering from COVID-19 to provide a better understanding of the acute and long-term impact of the disease on physical activity (PA). Individualised semi-structured interviews were conducted with 48 adults recovering from COVID-19 at 6-11 months post-infection. An inductive thematic analysis approach was used, reaching saturation at 14 interviews (10 female; 47 ± 7 years). Four overarching themes were identified (i) Living with COVID-19, including managing activities of daily living; (ii) Dealing with the Unknown and self-management strategies; (iii) Re-introducing physical activity; and (iv) Challenges of returning to work. The return to PA, whether through activities of daily living, work or exercise, is often associated with the exacerbation of symptoms, presenting a range of challenges for individuals recovering from COVID-19. Individually tailored support is therefore required to address the unique challenges posed by COVID-19.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Activities of Daily Living
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Qualitative research
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
Language:
English
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Ijerph182111417
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