Physical Activity Recommendations during COVID-19: Narrative Review

Patricia Polero, Carmen Rebollo-Seco, José C. Adsuar, Jorge Pérez-Gómez, Jorge Rojo-Ramos, Fernando Manzano-Redondo, Miguel Ángel Garcia-Gordillo and Jorge Carlos-Vivas
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Patricia Polero: Laboratorio de Biomecánica y Análisis del Movimiento del Litoral, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Florida 1065, Paysandú 60000, Uruguay
Carmen Rebollo-Seco: Health, Economy, Motricity and Education Research Group (HEME), Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
José C. Adsuar: Health, Economy, Motricity and Education Research Group (HEME), Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
Jorge Pérez-Gómez: Health, Economy, Motricity and Education Research Group (HEME), Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
Jorge Rojo-Ramos: Health, Economy, Motricity and Education Research Group (HEME), Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
Fernando Manzano-Redondo: Health, Economy, Motricity and Education Research Group (HEME), Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
Miguel Ángel Garcia-Gordillo: Facultad de Administración y Negocios, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Sede Talca 3467987, Chile
Jorge Carlos-Vivas: Health, Economy, Motricity and Education Research Group (HEME), Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 18, issue 1, 1-24

Abstract: Regular practice of physical activity plays a fundamental role in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. During the pandemic caused by COVID-19 and the lockdown established, people have reduced considerably their mobility and motor activity, which has led to an increase in unhealthy lifestyle habits, raising the risk of suffering from diseases. This paper consists of reviewing the existing scientific literature on recommendations of physical activity during the pandemic and to establish specific guidelines according to the type of population to which the activity would be directed. A search strategy has been carried out in the different databases: Embase, PubMed, SCOPUS, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science (WoS), including all the articles published until 14 May 2020, to find essays with recommendations on aerobic activity, muscle strengthening, flexibility-stretching, meditation-relaxation, and balance exercises. The articles found have been evaluated considering the following criteria: type of publication, proposals for physical exercise, language, and, if it appears, volume of activity, frequency, intensity, and rest. The results obtained 29 articles that discuss patterns of physical activity, although there is no common consensus on such recommendations during confinement, nor are they suitable for all people. From these results, we can conclude that physical activity is widely recommended during the confinement caused by COVID-19, mainly through the performance of aerobic, strength, flexibility, and balance exercises.

Keywords: coronavirus; pandemic; physical exercise; physically inactivity; health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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