Research

Mixed

Combined resistance and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise improves functional capacity, muscle strength, and quality of life in post-COVID-19 patients after hospital discharge.

If you are recovering from COVID-19 after hospital discharge, start with a combination of light resistance training (1-2 sets of 8-10 reps at 30-80% of your max) and moderate aerobic exercise (5-30 minutes). Focus on feeling comfortable (RPE 3-5/10) rather than pushing hard. This approach has been shown to improve your ability to walk, your muscle strength, and your overall quality of life without significantly increasing the risk of reinfection.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Evidence shows that exercise programs composed of resistance exercise (e.g., 1–2 sets of 8–10 repetitions at 30–80% of 1RM) along with aerobic exercise (e.g., 5 to 30 min at moderate intensity) may improve the functional capacity and quality of life (reduce stress and mental disorders) in post-COVID-19 patients.
Amir Hossein Ahmadi Hekmatikar et al. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2022

Why this rating

The review includes 7 studies with methodological heterogeneities and no control groups in most cases, preventing a meta-analysis.

Source

Functional and Psychological Changes after Exercise Training in Post-COVID-19 Patients Discharged from the Hospital: A PRISMA-Compliant Systematic Review

Amir Hossein Ahmadi Hekmatikar et al. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2022

DOI 10.3390/ijerph19042290

systematic_review · n=286Cited 79×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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