Is physical activity a protective factor against functional disability among individuals diagnosed with COVID-19?: Analysis of data from the Sulcovid-19 longitudinal study

Background Individuals diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), even those with mild illness, report persistent fatigue, muscle weakness, and worsening functionality in the activities of daily living. Individuals who engaged in regular physical activity before infection with the causative agent, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), reportedly exhibited greater resilience to negative COVID-19 outcomes. As such, the present study evaluated whether physical activity could be a protective factor against functional disability among individuals diagnosed with COVID-19. Methods This longitudinal study was based on the SulCovid-19 survey and used the Lawton and Brody scale to measure functional disability. Physical activity was assessed based on frequency (days per week) and duration (time per day). Control variables included sex, age, skin color, annual income, body mass index, morbidity, and hospitalization. Poisson regression analysis with robust variance adjustment was performed to calculate prevalence ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Results Individuals who engaged in physical activity before acute SARS-CoV-2 infection were up to 20% less likely to develop limitations in functional capacity for the instrumental activities of daily living 24 months later (adjusted PR 0.80; 95% CI: 0.66–0.98). Conclusions Regular physical activity before the diagnosis of acute COVID-19 appears to be a protective factor against functional incapacity in instrumental activities of daily living.