Study finds regular exercise may impact severity of COVID-19 infection

TAMPA, Fla. - Exercising on a regular basis may reduce the chances of hospitalization or death due to COVID-19, according to a recently published study.

The study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (AJPM) looked at the amount of physical activity and how it’s associated with less severe COVID-19 outcomes.

Researchers looked at those who tested positive or were diagnosed with COVID-19 between January 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021. They gathered information of how many days they exercised and for how long.

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Those who primarily reported exercising for 10 minutes or less a week were considered inactive, while those who exercised for more than 150 minutes per week on their assessments were considered always active.

The result showed those who were inactive were more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19.

"I think the study makes sense. So if your baseline level of health, is good, then you're more likely to be able to better counteract the different pathogens. So the different viruses and germs that you're likely to encounter, COVID being one of them," Dr. Laura Arline, BayCare's chief quality officer, said. "So the healthier you are, if you get COVID, the more likely it is that you're going to be able to handle the different kind of complications that can go along with it."

Doctors said this is important as they monitor a likely post-holiday surge in cases.

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"Good hand hygiene. All of the basics still work. So adding exercise to those regimens can help you even more," Arline said.

They also encourage people to get an updated Bivalent booster as those numbers remain low.

"I would say stay up to date with your vaccinations. They certainly do help. And while they might not prevent infection, they do prevent some infection, and they decrease the severity of disease and bad outcomes," Dr. Paul Nanda, Tampa General Hospital's urgent care chief medical officer, said.

The study concluded public health leaders should include physical activity in their pandemic control strategies.