An Incidental Study of the Effects of COVID-19 Lockdowns on the Muscle Strength of Patients with Postpolio Syndrome: Do These Patients Need a Break?

Abstract

Introduction: This study was designed before the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, to assess the annual changes in muscle strength in relatively young Turkish people with postpolio syndrome (PPS). After we completed the baseline measurements, the COVID-19 pandemic emerged and lockdowns followed right after. Thus, the purpose of the study turned to how these lockdowns, which induced a sedentary lifestyle, have affected muscle strength in participants with PPS compared to healthy controls. Materials and Methods: This study included 49 hip joints (21 PPS vs. 28 healthy controls) and 51 knee joints (23 PPS vs. 28 healthy controls). Concentric isokinetic testing of bilateral hip and knee muscles was performed in all participants with PPS and controls just before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The measurements were repeated after 1 year of lockdowns. Results: Perceived physical activities were reported to be decreased by 35.9% and 32.2% in participants with PPS and controls, respectively. No significant changes were observed in muscle strengths, and these changes did not differ between PPS and healthy controls. Conclusion: This is the first and possibly the only study to show that the muscle strengths of participants with PPS did not change significantly during 1 year of physical restraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings may support the basic principle in the rehabilitation of participants with PPS, which includes conserving energy and avoiding the overuse of muscles. However, more data from studies with a larger number of participants and longer follow-ups, which will hopefully never happen again in a situation like this, are required to draw a conclusion.

Keywords

• coronavirus
• covid-19
• isokinetic muscle testing
• lockdowns
• muscle weakness
• postpolio syndrome