Long COVID-19 alters muscle architecture and muscletendon force transmission: a one-year longitudinal study, 2025, Ferreira et al

Wyva

Wyva

Senior Member (Voting Rights)
Leandro Ferreira, Isabella Da Silva Almeida, Rochelle Rocha Costa, Gabrielle Vieira Roriz, Jeam Marcel Geremia, Joao Luiz Quaglioti Durigan, Rita de Cássia Marqueti

Introduction: There are limited studies on the long-term effects of COVID-19 on skeletal muscle morphology and architecture. Therefore, this study aims to address this gap by assessing the effects of prior COVID-19 infection on quadriceps muscle architecture and tendon-aponeurosis complex (TAC) properties over a one-year period, comparing three cohorts: individuals with moderate COVID-19, individuals with severe COVID-19, and a healthy control group.

Methods: Seventy participants were included in the study and allocated to three groups: moderate COVID-19 (n=22), severe COVID-19 (n=18), and control (n=30). Four assessments were conducted over one year for the COVID groups. Maximal voluntary isometric (MVIC) knee extension contractions were performed on an isometric dynamometer, with simultaneous ultrasound imaging of the vastus lateralis (VL) and rectus femoris (RF) muscles. Fascicle length (FL) and pennation angle (PA) were obtained at rest and during MVIC, along with TAC displacement. Generalized Estimating Equation models were used to evaluate muscle variables, with "group" and "time" as factors. The model fit was adjusted, with 'torque' as a covariate.

Results: Regarding muscle architecture, FL was greater in the severe COVID-19 group during early post-infection assessments for the RF at rest (p = 0.043). Additionally, both COVID-19 groups exhibited longer VL fascicles compared to controls (p = 0.032). TAC displacement was reduced in the severe COVID-19 group (RF: p=0.008; VL: p=0.047) compared to control. TAC stiffness did not differ between groups (p=0.517), but torque production demonstrated an effect on this variable (p=0.001). Both COVID-19 groups presented reduced PA for the VL at rest (p=0.012) compared to control. Additionally, torque played a crucial role in influencing PA in both muscles, at rest and during contraction.

Conclusion: Participants with severe COVID-19 exhibited alterations in muscle architecture, which may contribute to persistent muscular weakness even one-year post-infection. The findings underscore the potential role of muscle strength, particularly the impact of torque on TAC stiffness and PA across all groups. Long COVID-19 rehabilitation and exercise physiologists should prioritize quadriceps strengthening strategies to restore muscle architecture and optimize force transmission.

Abstract only: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1641046/abstract
 
i tried that. since i had a knee surgery at the same time as covid. spent one year in physio strengthening my quadriceps and hamstrings. Until I became bedridden and all I had left was strong quadriceps and hamstrings that slowly deconditioned.
 
The title is misleading - this isn't a Long Covid study. It's a study with followup over a year of people who had Covid-19 (severe = hospitalised; moderate = not hospitalised) with the first measurements made after the acute infection, compared with controls (no Covid-19).

Table 1 summarizes the characteristics of the participants, allocated into three groups: 22 in the moderate-COVID group, 18 in the severe-COVID group, and 30 in the control group.

Significant differences were observed between groups for age (p <0.001), weight (p < 0.001), and BMI (p < 0.001), with the severe-COVID group being older and heavier. Furthermore, the severe-COVID group had a higher prevalence of comorbidities, including hypertension (p < 0.001), diabetes (p < 0.001), dyslipidemia (p= 0.021), and depression (p = 0.003). The severe-COVID groups presented significantly lower physical activity levels (p < 0.001) and lower knee extension torque (p = 0.007) compared to the moderate-COVID and control groups.
Click to expand...

I think this is pretty hopeless. The groups were not well matched on basic demographics. It's far more likely that the differences found had more to do with age, BMI and/or activity levels than the direct effects of the infection.

They note that they only measured the controls once, because some of the controls subsequently had a Covid-19 infection. Following those people to create a prospective study with 'before infection' and 'after infection' would have given a lot more useful information, even if the sample size was small.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom