Telerehabilitation improves cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness and body composition in older people with post‐COVID‐19 syndrome

Abstract Background The effects of post‐coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) syndrome on the cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness in older people are of utmost relevance. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 12‐week telerehabilitation programme on cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness and body composition in older patients with post‐COVID‐19 syndrome. Methods One hundred twenty older patients with post‐COVID‐19 syndrome were randomly assigned to one of two groups: patients who carried out the telerehabilitation programme (n = 60; age: 65.0 ± 5.2; female: 14.2%) and a control group (n = 60; age: 64.3 ± 5.0; female: 24.5%). An incremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing, isokinetic strength test, and bioelectrical impedance analysis were performed to compare cardiorespiratory and muscle strength responses and body composition between telerehabilitation and control groups. Results A significant increase in the cardiopulmonary exercise testing duration was found in the telerehabilitation group compared to the control group (mean difference = 88.9 s, P = 0.001). Peak oxygen uptake increased in the telerehabilitation group (mean difference = 3.0 mL·kg−1·min−1, P