Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on Physical Activity One Month after Infection and Its Potential Determinants: Re-Infections, Pre-Illness Vaccination Profiles/Types, and Beyond

This study investigated changes in physical activity (PA) after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection while considering age, PA level, underlying medical conditions (UMCs), vaccination profiles/types, re-infections, disease severity, and treatment. Data were collected from 5829 respondents by using a validated web-based questionnaire. The findings showed that there was a significant overall decrease in PA (−16.2%), including in daily occupation (−11.9%), transportation (−13.5%), leisure-time (−16.4%), and sporting (−27.6%) activities. Age, PA level, UMCs, vaccination profiles/types, disease severity, and treatment played a role in determining PA in individuals’ post-acute SARS-CoV-2 infections. Re-infections did not impact the decline in PA. Unvaccinated individuals experienced a significant decline in PA (−13.7%). Younger (−22.4%) and older adults (−22.5%), those with higher PA levels (−20.6%), those with 2–5 UMCs (−23.1%), those who were vaccinated (−16.9%) or partially vaccinated (−19.1%), those with mRNA-type vaccines only (−17.1%), those with recurrent (−19.4%)-to-persistent (−54.2%) symptoms, and those that required hospital (−51.8%) or intensive care unit (−67.0%) admission during their infections had more pronounced declines in PA. These findings emphasize the complex relationship between post-acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and PA and highlight the need for targeted interventions, further research, and multidisciplinary care to promote PA resumption and mitigate long-term effects on global public health.