Association between physical activity before SARS-CoV-2 infection and functional disability 24 months after COVID-19: findings from the SulCOVID-19 longitudinal study

Individuals diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), even those with mild illness, report persistent fatigue, muscle weakness, and worsening functionality in the activities of daily living. Individuals who engaged in regular physical activity before infection with the causative agent, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), reportedly exhibited greater resilience to negative COVID-19 outcomes. Therefore, this study evaluated the association between physical activity before SARS-CoV-2 infection and functional disability 24 months after COVID-19. This longitudinal study was based on the SulCovid-19 survey and used the Lawton and Brody scale to measure functional disability. Physical activity was assessed based on frequency (days per week) and duration (time per day) and categorized according to the WHO recommendation of ≥ 150 min/week.Control variables included sex, age, skin color, annual income, body mass index, morbidity, and hospitalization. Poisson regression analysis with robust variance adjustment was performed to calculate prevalence ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Individuals who engaged in physical activity before acute SARS-CoV-2 infection had a 20% lower prevalence of disability in instrumental activities of daily living 24 months after infection (adjusted PR 0.80; 95% CI 0.66–0.98). Physical activity before SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with a lower prevalence of disability in instrumental activities of daily living 24 months after COVID-19.