| Abstract |
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate differences in the rate of improvement of cardiopulmonary function with
aerobic exercise combined with breathing exercise between individuals who recovered from COVID-19 and those who
were not infected. Methods: A total of 22 college students in their 20s and 30s at G University were recruited. Of the
22 students, 4 dropped out, and 18 performed combined exercise three times a week for 4 weeks. Subjects were
assigned to COVID-19-infected and noninfected groups. Aerobic exercise was performed with 10 min of walking in place
and 10 min of stepping exercise, and stretching was performed for 5 min each before and after exercise. For respiratory
exercise, exhalation was performed using a 30 cm diameter balloon, and inspiratory exercise was performed using an
incentive spirometer. Cardiopulmonary function was measured using microQuark, and resting heart rate was measured
using Doctor Pulse. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version
22.0 for Windows. Results: Resting heart rate decreased more in the non-infected group. However, no significant
difference was observed between both groups (p>.05). Cardiopulmonary function showed that forced vital capacity (FVC)
significantly increased in the infected group (p<.05), and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) significantly
increased in both groups (p<.05). The infected group was increased more significantly than the non-infected group
(p<.05). No significant difference in FEV1/FVC was observed between the two groups (p>.05). Conclusion: Combined
exercise is effective in improving cardiopulmonary function in patients who recovered from COVID-19. Although this study
has some limitations due to the study period and age group, it is thought to be helpful for research on the aftereffects
of COVID-19. |