Covid, here are the guidelines for a return to physical activity (by age group) – breaking latest news

It’s time to count the damage from lockdown, smartworking and dad on the health of the body. Covid forced one sforced edentarity and prolonged and a change in lifestyle with negative effects: thephysical inactivity it was often accompanied by incorrect eating habits, smoking and alcohol abuse. All risk factors for heart and lung diseases, diabetes and cancer. “Getting the population back in motion in the post-pandemic phase»: This is also the purpose of updating the« Guidelines on physical activity », adopted in 2019, based on the latest indications from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Every movement is good for you

The document contains the new ones recommendations for different age groups and a focus on the importance ofmotor exercise for prevention and the management of major chronic non-communicable diseases: cardio-vascular, oncological, respiratory and psychiatric. Approved on November 3 by the State-Regions Conference, the guidelines are aimed at political decision-makers, health professionals and all those who must encourage physical activity in the community (municipalities, schools, workplaces, third sector). The first truth to be promoted is that “every movement in everyday life counts” (key message of the WHO 2020 Physical Activity Guidelines). “Any physical activity that involves calorie expenditure is good for your health, from gardening to housework, climbing stairs, walking the dog, shopping on foot. For those suffering from a chronic disease, movement is a real medicine “, he recalls Marco Scorcu, vice president of the Italian Sports Medical Federation, among the experts who drafted the text.

Urban health strategy

A chapter is dedicated to rpost Covid physical recovery. “In particular, local authorities are asked to develop structural interventions to remove obstacles to physical activity in public spaces, such as walls, high sidewalks, steps, hedges and fences that divide parks, gardens and roads, increasing cycle paths and pedestrian crossings” Scorcu declares. In a strategy of Urban health, that is, urban redevelopment aimed at protecting the psychophysical well-being of the inhabitants. In this perspective, to stimulate adolescents to move, outdoor spaces can be enhanced “for unstructured sports activities, such as parkour, street dance, skate, juggling, street art”, write the experts.

Children and adolescents

At each age its load of physical activity. To the children between 3 and 4 years it is suggested to practice at least 180 minutes a day of physical activity, even if not consecutive, of which at least one hour of vigorous intensity (jumps, running), and not to spend more than 60 minutes in front of the TV or PC, tablet and smartphone screen. Between the ages of 5 and 17, 60 minutes of medium intensity activity per day are ideal and exercises to strengthen the musculoskeletal system at least three times a week.

Adults and the elderly

To the aadults are recommended 150 to 300 minutes per week of low intensity aerobic sport (walking, jogging, cycling, swimming), or 75-150 minutes of more vigorous activity, to be combined with muscle strengthening exercises twice a week. The same is true for the elderly population. Muscle exercises in people under 65 are used to reduce the risk of falls. But the most fragile shouldn’t overdo it. “Even through the normal occupations of daily life – shopping, cleaning and preparing meals – an adequate level of activity can be maintained,” the Guidelines say.

The benefits for cardio-cerebral diseases

In people suffering from hypertension, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, peripheral arterial disease or who have been affected by stroke, physical activity is a cure-all. “It improves the vascularization and contractility of the heart muscle, increases the metabolism and decreases the blood pressure values,” Scorcu emphasizes. Avoiding excessive effort though. «A moderate and prolonged training should be prescribed, which does not involve sudden and intense actions, such as walking groups, jogging, cycling, swimming, golf, even treadmills, exercise bikes and rowing machines. No football or five-a-side football, no tennis, padel, athletics or spinning »warns the doctor. The same standards recommended for healthy people apply to these patients: 150 to 300 minutes of sport per week. Anyone who does not reach them should keep in mind that doing something is always better than doing nothing.

For neoplasms

«The scientific evidence shows that physical activity in patients suffering from any type of cancer, in addition to counteracting the side effects caused by therapies and positively influencing mood, prevents and reduces the risk of relapse. The most intense activity should be favored because it accelerates the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates, which are the main causes of cellular inflammation that favors the development of neoplasia »explains Scorcu. Even “chemotherapies and radiotherapy – specify the guidelines – do not represent contraindications to the performance of physical activity customized to the individual needs and characteristics of the patient”.

For respiratory diseases and psychiatric disorders

For people with respiratory diseases it is essential to reduce sedentary lifestyle and practice physical exercise, in quantities equal to that indicated for healthy individuals. But still calibrated on its own abilities. The document examines the typology and effectiveness of activities for BPCO and asthma. “To be preferred open air environments but not in conditions of particular pollution or humidity in order not to trigger asthma crises and constriction of the bronchi” warns the vice president of the Italian Sports Medical Federation. Playing sports helps the release of endorphins, the hormone of happiness, relieving stress and psychological discomfort. For this reason, even people with mental disorders must be prescribed physical activity to be performed regularly. «Better than a group, collective trekking and mountain therapy, to learn to be together with others, and in the open air, to increase the feeling of freedom and well-being» adds Scorcu.

What is needed?

Before planning a training program “it is necessary for a chronically ill patient to undergo a check-up visit by the general practitioner or by the sports medicine or pathology specialist he is suffering from, for the issue of a certificate of suitability for playful motor activity and obtain a correct training prescription, in which the frequency, intensity, duration and type, aerobic, of strength or joint flexibility are specified – explains Scorcu -. It is recommended to perform the activity under the supervision of a kinesiologist (professional with a degree in motor science, ed). The video tutorials are suitable for those who already have some experience and are not beginners, to avoid harmful movements and efforts ». Finally, the vice-president of the Italian Sports Medical Federation urges competitive athletes (non-professionals) who have had Covid to request the “return to play” certificate at the same facility that issued the certificate of fitness for competitive sport (as required by the circular of 13 January 2021 of the Ministry of Health). In fact, it is essential to carry out some tests to evaluate the possible consequences of the infection on the organs and systems (such as damage to the myocardium and respiratory function) and to allow the safe resumption of training.