Train at home, but not alone: a randomised controlled multicentre trial assessing the effects of live-streamed tele-exercise during COVID-19-related lockdowns

Abstract

ObjectivePublic life restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic caused reductions in physical activity (PA) and decreases in mental and somatic health. Considering the interplay between these factors, we investigated the effects of digital home exercise (DHE) during government-enforced lockdowns.MethodsA multicentre randomised controlled trial was performed allocating healthy individuals from nine countries (N=763; 523 female) to a DHE or an inactive control group. During the 4-week main intervention, DHE members engaged in live-streamed multicomponent home exercise. Subsequently, both groups had access to prerecorded workouts for an additional 4 weeks. Outcomes, assessed weekly, included PA level (Nordic Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7), mental well-being (WHO-5 Questionnaire), sleep quality (Medical Outcome Study Sleep Scale), pain/disability (Chronic Pain Grade Scale) and exercise motivation (Self-Concordance Scale). Mixed models were used for analysis.ResultsLive-streamed DHE consistently increased moderate PA (eg, week 1: 1.65 times more minutes per week, 95% CI 1.40 to 1.94) and vigorous PA (eg, week 1: 1.31 times more minutes per week, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.61), although the effects decreased over time. In addition, exercise motivation, sleep quality and anxiety were slightly higher for DHE in the 4-week live streaming period. The same applied to mental well-being (mean difference at week 4: +0.99, 95% CI 0.13 to 1.86), but an inverted trend was observed after live streaming was substituted by prerecorded exercise.ConclusionsLive-streamed DHE represents an efficacious method to enhance PA and selected markers of health during pandemic-related public life restrictions. However, research on implementation is warranted to reduce dropout rates.Trial Registration numberDRKS00021273.

Physical Activity During Lockdowns Associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Multilevel Meta-analysis of 173 Studies with 320,636 Participants

“…As a consequence, it seems of paramount importance to identify ways to maintain or even enhance PA during restrictions. One effective method to achieve this while social distancing is through tele-exercise, which has recently been shown to be efficacious in this context [ 46 ]. In addition, digital technologies (i.e., telehealth) could be used to promote and counsel on PA without in-person contact.…”

Effectiveness of telehealth interventions on psychological outcomes and quality of life in community adults during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…All 25 articles included in this review were RCTs published from 2020 to 2022 in seventeen countries, including the United Kingdom ( n = 3; Gilbody et al, 2021; Liang et al, 2022; Wadhen & Cartwright, 2021), China ( n = 2; Rong et al, 2021; Wong et al, 2021), Israel ( n = 2; Gidron et al, 2021; Shapira et al, 2021), Switzerland ( n = 1; Brog et al, 2022), Australia ( n = 1; Bryant et al, 2022), Italy ( n = 1; Carbone et al, 2021), Spain ( n = 2; Catuara‐Solarz et al, 2021; Puertas‐Gonzalez et al, 2022), Germany ( n = 3; Heckendorf et al, 2022; Preuss et al, 2021; Wilke et al, 2022), the United States of America ( n = 1; Kahlon et al, 2021), Malaysia ( n = 1; Kim, 2020), New Zealand ( n = 1; Loveys et al, 2021), India ( n = 2; Muniswamy et al, 2021; Pal et al, 2022), Sweden ( n = 1; Pellas et al, 2021), Serbia ( n = 1; Vukčević Marković et al, 2020), Korea ( n = 1; Yi & Yim, 2021), Canada ( n = 1; Beauchet et al, 2022), and Turkey ( n = 1; Tekin & Cetisli‐Korkmaz, 2022). The characteristics of the 25 studies are reported in Table 1.…”

Efficacy of a multicomponent exercise training program intervention in community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cluster randomized controlled trial

“…The effects decreased over time during the four-week livestreaming period, however, and the opposite trend was observed when the livestreaming was replaced with prerecorded exercise videos. 37 However, the rate of regular LTPA was not shown, and measuring MVPA and VPA in the previous week is not the same as regular LTPA. Therefore, the improvement in MVPA and VPA over four weeks that was shown in that study does not necessarily mean that the participants had formed a habit of regular exercise.…”

“…First, besides combining aerobic training, resistance exercises, and dynamic balance training, 45 we also developed a multicomponent exercise program that could be used during the COVID-19 pandemic. 37 Secondly, through the use of self-management techniques (such as recording their exercise behavior), the participants were reminded to exercise, had an enhanced motivation to exercise, and could more easily form a habit of exercising. 45 …”