Long COVID: New study focusing on paced increase in physical activity sees ‘impressive results’
Before contracting COVID, Susannah Thompson lived an active life.
She worked 10-hour shifts as a GP, loved ballet and swam as much as she could.
But since 2020, she has been dealing with long COVID and her life has been turned upside down.
“I would be the mum crawling through soft play, going down the slides.
“Now I’m the mum who is at home in bed whilst they’re somewhere else without me, and that is really, really, hard.”
There are around two million people currently living with long COVID symptoms in the UK, but there are still lots of unknowns.
For example, there is no standardised test, or even a globally recognised definition.
Susannah is still coming to terms with the symptoms of long COVID.
She says at the start, it felt like she was physically improving but realised the relief she felt would only be temporary.
“You get this cycle where one day you’re okay, and you think ‘oh I’m alright today’ so you try and do a little bit more.
“You sit up longer, read a story with your kids.
“But the next day you can’t move. [Even] the duvet is too heavy.”
Researchers at Leeds University think that their new study may help.
It found “impressive results” with its long COVID programme, which was based on a “gradual or paced increase” in a patient’s physical activity.
The study followed 31 people with long COVID symptoms for six weeks.
At the start of the study, it says patients reported an average of three “crashes” a week, where they were left “physically, emotionally or cognitively exhausted”.
But by the end of the study, this was reduced to an average of one crash a week.”
Dr Manoj Sivan, associate clinical professor in the School of Medicine, supervised the research project.
“When patients get a crash, they experience feelings of complete exhaustion and wipe out and are unable to resume activities for hours or sometimes days,” he said.
Read more:
Three types of long COVID identified with different symptoms
How long COVID ruined my life, from crushing fatigue to brain fog
“The findings of this research are exciting because this is the first time that crashing episodes have been used as a marker for the condition and a structured pacing programme has now been shown to substantially reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.”
But the study is keen to stress the focus should be on “physical activity” rather than exercise and should be paced as well as monitored for safety and effectiveness.
“This study is not about pushing people through and forcing them to do activity, this is a gradual return to activity by following a pacing protocol,” explains Dr Sivan
Susannah says the study is a positive move in the right direction but adds that much more work needs to be done.
“I’ve come to a point where I don’t know what the future is. The doctors I trust and respect the most are the ones that openly say, ‘we don’t know’… but we can hope.”
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Counter-terrorism police are investigating after an incident involving a crossbow and a firearm left two women injured in Leeds.
Police were called to Otley Road at 2.47pm on Saturday to reports of a “serious incident involving a man seen with weapons”, West Yorkshire Police said.
Officers arrived at the scene to find two women injured – and a 38-year-old man with a self-inflicted injury. All three were taken to hospital, with the man held under arrest, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
“Two weapons have been recovered from the scene, which were a crossbow and a firearm,” Counter Terrorism Policing North East said in a statement.
The incident happened on the ‘Otley Run’ pub crawl, with one venue saying it was closed for the evening due to “unforeseen circumstances”.
Officers guard one of the crime scenes
Officers inside the cordon in Leeds
Counter Terrorism Policing’s statement added: “Due to the circumstances surrounding the incident, Counter Terrorism Policing North East have taken responsibility for leading the investigation with the support of West Yorkshire Police.
“Extensive enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances and explore any potential motivation.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described it as a “serious violent incident” and said she was being kept updated by police.
“Thank you to the police and emergency services for their swift response,” she said. “My thoughts are with the victims and all those affected by this attack.”
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Wrexham AFC have been promoted for the third season in a row.
The North Wales-based side has gone from the National League to the Championship in just three seasons, under its Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Wrexham were second in the table and had a run of eight games unbeaten ahead of their match against Charlton Athletic on Saturday, which they won 3-0.
Wrexham’s James McClean lifts the League One trophy. Pic: PA
Wrexham’s Dan Scarr celebrates with the fans on the pitch after Wrexham won promotion to the Championship. Pic: PA
It is the first time any club has been promoted for three consecutive seasons within the top five tiers of English football.
The third oldest association football club in the world, Wrexham AFC was bought by Reynolds and McElhenney in 2020, and has since been the subject of a Disney+ documentary, Welcome To Wrexham.
Reynolds, wearing a Wrexham sweatshirt, and McElhenney were pictured celebrating each goal, and after the game, as the fans came onto the pitch at the SToK Cae Ras (Racecourse Ground) to celebrate the victory with the players.
Wrexham co-owners Rob McElhenney (L) and Ryan Reynolds and Ryan’s wife Blake Lively, before the match. Pic: PA
Both stars came onto the pitch after the supporters returned to the stands.
Speaking to Sky Sports, McElhenney praised those behind the scenes, referring to “so many that don’t get the credit they deserve, people who aren’t talked about”.
Reynolds said bringing success back to the club “seemed like an impossible dream” when they arrived in North Wales in 2020.
Wrexham’s Sam Smith celebrates in front of the fans after Wrexham won promotion to the Championship. Pic: PA
He put the three promotions down to “the coaching staff, the greatest dressing room” and an “all for one, one for all” attitude throughout the club, adding he was “speechless with their commitment and their emotion”.
As for the mouth-watering prospect of another promotion to the promised land of the Premier League, the pair agreed it was “for tomorrow”, before ending the interview with a joint mic-drop.
Veteran striker Steven Fletcher said, “as soon as I came to this club, I knew it was something special. We want to go again. We’ll reset in the summer, take a break and go again”.
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