Clinical Improvements Following a Non-Aerobic Therapeutic Exercise in Women with Long COVID

Background/Objectives: Long COVID (LC) is characterized by persistent symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and reduced quality of life, often lasting months after acute infection. Exercise-based interventions have shown promise, but evidence for non-aerobic programs remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 12-week motor control exercise program on body composition and fatigue in women with LC and to explore associations with physical activity and psychosocial factors. Methods: An exploratory pre-post non-controlled intervention study was conducted in 17 women with LC symptoms persisting for over one year. Participants completed 24 individualized sessions of a non-aerobic therapeutic exercise program focused on trunk stabilization. Outcomes included body composition (bioimpedance analysis), fatigue (Modified Fatigue Impact Scale), health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L), physical activity (IPAQ), and kinesiophobia (TSK-11). Paired t-tests, effect sizes, correlations, and regression models were applied. Results: The intervention significantly reduced total body fat (37.09% to 35.41%, p < 0.001) and trunk fat (35.82% to 33.82%, p < 0.001), with large effect sizes. Physical and psychosocial fatigue improved markedly (MFIS physical: 29.71 to 21.06, p < 0.001; psychosocial: 6.00 to 4.29, p = 0.001), while cognitive fatigue showed non-significant change. Pain/discomfort scores decreased substantially (2.86 to 1.79, p < 0.001). Vigorous activity and walking time increased, and sedentary time decreased. No significant changes were observed in muscle mass or kinesiophobia. Conclusions: A structured, non-aerobic exercise program can effectively reduce body fat, alleviate fatigue, and improve pain perception in women with LC, supporting its role in rehabilitation. Multimodal strategies may be required to address cognitive symptoms and fear of movement.