Effect of strengthening and relaxation exercises on musculoskeletal pain, anxiety and sleep quality in people diagnosed COVID-19

After COVID-19, musculoskeletal pain, anxiety, and sleep problems can continue. Our study aims at examining the effect of strengthening and relaxation exercises on musculoskeletal pain, anxiety and sleep quality in people with COVID-19 symptoms. At Gaziosmanpasa Education and Research Hospital 76 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in last three months, aged between 18-65, were included in the study which was pursued between January 18 and March 31 in 2021. 38 of the patients included in the study underwent strengthening and relaxation exercises (experimental group), while 38 did not perform any exercises (control group). Personal data form, McGill Pain Scale short form (SFMPQ), short form 36 (SF-36), Pittsburgh sleep quality scale (PUKI) were applied to all patients before and after the study. Looking at pre-study demographic characteristics and scales, no significant difference was found between the experimental and control groups (p>0.05). After the study, there was a significant difference in SF-36, Mcgill Total score, Mcgill VAS, Mcgill current score, Beck Anxiety Scale and PUKI score in the experimental group (p<0.05). In the control group after the study SF-36 physical function, role emotional difficulties, energy/vitality, mental health, general health Perception sub-dimension scores, Mcgill total score, Mcgill VAS, McGill, and Beck Anxiety Scale score in WHICH a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Mcgill Present score and SF-36 had no statistically significant differences in physical role difficulties, social functioning, pain sub-dimensions before and after the study (p>0.05). McGill VAS, McGill current score, Beck Anxiety Scale, and Puki scores decreased in the experimental group between the first assessment and the last assessment significantly higher than in the control group (p<0.05). The increase in all SF-36 scores, except for the emotional role difficulty sub-dimension, between the first evaluation and the last evaluation in the experimental group is statistically significantly higher than in the control group(p<0.05). As a result, in our study, it was determined that strengthening and relaxation exercises had a significantly positive effect on musculoskeletal pain, anxiety and sleep quality after COVID-19.