Impaired balance and physical capacity found in both ME/CFS and Long COVID
US researchers found that people with long COVID have reduced physical capacity and postural sway similar to people with ME/CFS, despite having the post-viral illness for an average of only 16 months, rather than 16 years (as in the ME/CFS participants).
Both groups were more impaired than healthy participants and this could mean that they might be at greater risk of falling. Support to adapt their occupational and home environments and schedules could be necessary, but rehabilitation programmes which target muscle strengthening should be explored with extreme caution due to Post-Exertional Malaise, and may only be suitable for a subset of individuals.
“Furthermore, as we are at the start of the long COVID pandemic, there is a real concern these physical capacity decrements may worsen over the next few years, having serious implications for the individual, their familial and social network, and worldwide economies.”
People with Long Covid and ME/CFS exhibit similarly impaired balance and physical capacity: a case-case-control study, by Lawrence D Hayes, Nilihan EM Sanal-Hayes, Marie Mclaughlin, Ethan CJ Berry, Nicholas F Sculthorpe in American Journal of Medicine 23 Jul 2023 [doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2023.06.028]
Research abstract
Purpose
Postural sway and physical capacity had not previously been compared between people with long COVID and people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).
Therefore, this study determined postural sway and physical capacity in people with long COVID (∼16 month illness duration; n=21) and ME/CFS (∼16 year illness duration; n=20), versus age-matched healthy controls (n=20).
Methods
Postural sway was during a 30 s static stand test. Physical capacity was determined using the timed up and go test and five times sit to stand test. Throughout, participants wore isoinertial measurement units.
Results
Postural sway was worse (i.e. greater) in people with long COVID and ME/CFS than controls, but not different between long COVID and ME/CFS. Performance of the timed up and go test and five times sit to stand test were worse in long COVID and ME/CFS than controls, but not different between long COVID and ME/CFS.
87% and 13% of long COVID and ME/CFS participants exceeded the threshold for muscle weakness in the five times sit to stand test and timed up and go test, respectively.
Conclusions
These data suggest that both people with long COVID and people with ME/CFS have similarly impaired balance and physical capacity. Therefore, there is an urgent need for interventions to target postural sway and physical capacity in people with ME/CFS, and given the current pandemic, people with long COVID.
