Which Training Is More Effective in Post-COVID-19 Geriatric Patients with COPD: Cycle Ergometer Interval Training or...

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Pulmonology
• Cardiovascular Rehabilitation

Background:

• Geriatric patients with COPD post-COVID-19 need tailored respiratory rehabilitation.
• Specific aerobic training recommendations are lacking for this demographic.
• Individualized approaches are crucial for effective recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of continuous versus interval aerobic training.
• To identify the optimal aerobic training method for geriatric COPD patients after COVID-19.

Main Methods:

• 80 geriatric COPD patients post-COVID-19 participated.
• Included 3-week intensive respiratory rehabilitation.
• Assessed exercise tolerance (6-Minute Walk Test) and functional fitness (get-up-and-go test) pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Both continuous and interval training improved exercise tolerance and functional fitness.
• Continuous training showed significantly greater improvements in 6-Minute Walk Test distance, METs, and TUG test.
• Statistical significance was observed (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Continuous aerobic training is more effective for rehabilitating geriatric COPD patients post-COVID-19.
• Cycle ergometer-based continuous training should be integrated into therapeutic programs.
• This approach enhances functional recovery and exercise capacity.