Impact of a water-based exercise intervention on fatigue and quality of life in post-covid-19 patients

Šajber, Dorica (avtor), Gilić Škugor, Barbara (avtor), Marčun, Robert (avtor)

Recovery from COVID-19 can involve long-lasting symptoms such as fatigue and reduced quality of life. Water-based exercise programs may be appropriate for improving these outcomes, but their effectiveness has not been explored in post-COVID-19 patients. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of an 8-week water-based exercise program on fatigue levels and quality of life in postCOVID-19 patients. A total of 21 (15 females, 6 males) post-COVID-19 patients aged 58.15±17.71 years completed water-based exercises twice weekly for eight weeks. Fatigue was assessed via the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20), and quality of life was measured via the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire. Changes were analyzed pre- and post-intervention using matched-pairs Wilcoxon test and factorial analysis of variance. Fatigue levels showed minimal changes overall, as they were low (MFI total score of 53.43±10.54 pre-intervention). Most participants had good quality of life scores, with no issues in self-care or daily activity. However, overall health status remained unchanged, possibly due to participants’ good pre-intervention health (score of 77.06±17.59 pre-intervention). Water-based exercise programs can help maintain quality of life and fatigue levels in post-COVID-19 patients. These findings highlight their role as safe, inclusive, and supportive rehabilitation options, especially for individuals recovering from mild to moderate COVID-19. Future studies should explore longer interventions and more serious conditions to further explore the benefits of water-based exercises.

• Jezik: Večjezični
• Ključne besede: sport, COVID-19, therapeutic exercise, aquatic exercise, rehabilitation, physical capacity, recreation
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: FŠ - Fakulteta za šport
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2025
• Št. strani: Str. 14-26
• Številčenje: Letn. 17, supl. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-185645
• UDK: 797.21
• ISSN pri članku: 1989-6239
• DOI: 10.58727/jshr.111605
• COBISS.SI-ID: 244782339

Avtorske pravice

Podatek o licenci CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 je naveden na pristajalni strani članka (glej zgoraj izvorni URL). (Datum opombe: 14.8. 2026)

Opomba

šport, covid-19, terapevtska vadba, vodna vadba, rehabilitacija, telesna zmogljivost, rekreacija

• Datum objave v RUL: 14.08.2026

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Journal of sport and health research
• Skrajšan naslov: J. sport health res.
• Založnik: D.A.A.
• ISSN: 1989-6239
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523238425

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva-Nekomercialno-Deljenje pod enakimi pogoji 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: Licenca Creative Commons, ki prepoveduje komercialno uporabo in zahteva, da uporabnik predelana dela objavi z enako licenco.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Španski jezik
• Naslov: Impacto de una intervención de ejercicio acuático sobre la fatiga y la calidad de vida en pacientes post-covid-19

Izvleček

Objetivos; Material y métodos; Resultados; Discusión; Conclusiones.

Projekti

• Financer: Drugi - Drug financer ali več financerjev
• Program financ.: ERASMUS SPORT-2021-SSCP Small scale partnerships
• Številka projekta: 101050089
• Naslov: EU-funded collaborative post-COVID-19 Swim project