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COVID-19 Infection in Ultramarathon Runners: Findings of the Ultrarunners Longitudinal TRAcking Study
James R Jastifer1,2, Ethan J Jastifer1,2, Martin D Hoffman1,2
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Ascension Borgess Hospital.
Objective:
Ultramarathon runners are a unique patient population who have been shown to have a lower rate of severe chronic medical conditions. This study aimed to determine the effect that COVID-19 infection has had on this population and their running behavior.
Design:
The Ultrarunners Longitudinal TRAcking (ULTRA) Study is a large longitudinal study of ultramarathon runners. Questions on health status, running behavior, and COVID-19 infection were included in the most recent survey.
Setting:
Community survey.
Participants:
Seven hundred thirty-four ultramarathon runners participated in the study.
Interventions:
None.
Main Outcome Measures:
Personal, exercise, and COVID-19 infection history.
Results:
52.7% of study participants reported having been symptomatic from a COVID-19 infection, with 6.7% testing positive multiple times. Participants required a total of 4 days of hospitalization. The most common symptoms included fever (73.6%), fatigue (68.5%), sore throat (68.2%), runny nose (67.7%), and cough (67.4%). Cardiovascular symptoms, which are of particular interest in the running population, included shortness of breath (46.3%), tachycardia (44.7%), chest pain (36.2%), and wheezing (33.3%). A total of 50 subjects (6.8%) reported long COVID (symptoms lasting more than 12 weeks).
Conclusions:
Severe COVID-19 infection has been rare in this population of ultramarathon runners, although symptomatic infection that affects running is common. To support the well-being of this group of highly active athletes, clinicians should appreciate that cardiovascular symptoms are common and the long-term significance of these symptoms in runners is unknown.
Level Of Evidence:
Level 2 prospective study.
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