An Australian exploratory study of individual physical functioning and wellbeing of rural clients with chronic diseases whose structured exercise groups were cancelled due to social distancing requirements of the COVID-19 pandemic
Jake Romein A and Jaclyn Bishop A *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A East Grampians Health Service, 5 Girdlestone Street, Ararat, Vic. 3377, Australia.
* Correspondence to: jaclyn.bishop@eghs.net.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 29(5) 501-509 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY22229
Submitted: 6 July 2021 Accepted: 13 March 2023 Published: 4 April 2023
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of La Trobe University. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY)
Abstract
Background: The primary aim of this study was to describe if there was a change in physical functioning of rural clients with chronic diseases who were unable to attend their structured exercise groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary aim was to describe their physical activity during lockdown and their wellbeing upon return to their structured exercise groups.
Method: Physical functioning measures collected in January to March 2020 (prior to suspension of structured exercise groups due to the lockdown) were repeated in July 2020 (when face-to-face activity resumed) and compared. A survey collected information about the client’s level of physical activity during lockdown and wellbeing measures at the end of the lockdown.
Results: Forty-seven clients consented to provide physical functioning tests and 52 completed the survey. Only the modified 2-min step-up test displayed a statistically (but not clinically) significant change (n = 29, 51.7 vs 54.1 rep, P = 0.01). Physical activity undertaken during lockdown was less in 48% (n = 24), the same in 44% (n = 22) and increased in 8% (n = 4) of clients. Despite the lockdown, clients had high global satisfaction, high subjective wellbeing and normal resilience.
Conclusions: Clinically significant changes in physical functioning when clients were unable to attend structured exercise groups for three months during the COVID-19 pandemic were not observed in this exploratory study. Further research is required to confirm the impact of isolation on physical functioning in those participating in group exercise to improve their chronic disease management.
Keywords: chronic disease, COVID-19, exercise therapy, isolation, physical activity, physical functioning, rural, wellbeing.
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