4.6 Article

Relationship between physical performance and perception of stress and recovery in daily life post COVID-19-An explorative study

Journal

PLOS ONE
Volume 18, Issue 5, Pages -

Publisher

PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285845

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This study aimed to investigate athletes' perceived mental stress and recovery levels in daily life and their maximal aerobic power, post COVID-19. The results showed that athletes experienced a decrease in perceived recovery and an increase in mental stress post COVID-19. There was a correlation between aerobic capacity and recovery and stress, indicating potential mental and physical benefits of exercise. Therefore, monitoring athletes' stress and recovery perceptions is crucial for facilitating their return-to-sports post COVID-19.
IntroductionCOVID-19 is a multi-systemic disease which can target the lungs and the cardiovascular system and can also affect parts of the brain for prolonged periods of time. Even healthy athletes without comorbidities can be psychologically affected long-term by COVID-19. ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate athletes' perceived mental stress and recovery levels in daily life, and their maximal aerobic power, at three different time points, post COVID-19. MethodsIn total, 99 athletes (62.6% male), who had been infected by COVID-19, filled out the Recovery Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (REST-Q-Sport) and completed cardiopulmonary exercise testing (endpoint maximal aerobic power output (P-max)) at the initial screening (t(1): 4 months after infection). Follow-up assessments occurred three (t(2), n = 37) and seven months after t(1) (t(3), n = 19). ResultsSubgroup means from the Recovery category were significantly below the reference value of four at all three time points, except General Recovery (3.76 (+/- 0.96), p = 0.275, d = 0.968) at t(3).Overtiredness (2.34 (+/- 1.27), p = 0.020, r = 0.224) was significantly above the reference value of two at t(1), while all other Stress subgroups were not significantly different from the reference value or were significantly below the maximum threshold of two at t(1), t(2) and t(3). Spearman's rho revealed a negative association between P-max and the subcategories of stress (rho = -0.54 to rho = -0.11, p < 0.050), and positive correlations between P-max and Somatic Recovery (rho = 0.43, p < 0.001) and General Recovery (rho = 0.23, p = 0.040) at t(1). P-max (t(1): 3.83 (+/- 0.99), t(2): 3.78 (+/- 1.14), beta = 0.06, p < 0.003) increased significantly from t(1) to t(2). In addition, REST-Q-Sport indicated a decrease in Sleep (t(2) = 2.35 (+/- 0.62), t(3) = 2.28(+/- 0.61), beta = -0.18, p < 0.023) at t(3), when compared to t(2). ConclusionThe perceived recovery seems to be negatively affected in post COVID-19 athletes. Physical performance post COVID-19 correlates with both Emotional and Somatic Stress and Somatic and General Recovery, indicating potential mental and physical benefits of exercise. While it is evident that COVID-19, like other viral infections, may have an influence on physical performance, monitoring stress and recovery perceptions of athletes is critical to facilitate their return-to-sports, while minimizing long-term COVID-19 induced negative effects like the athletic objective and subjective perceived recovery and stress levels.

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