Background: Long-COVID syndrome comprises a variety of signs and symptoms that develop during or after infection with COVID-19 which may affect the physical capabilities. However, there is a lack of studies investigating the effects of Long-COVID syndrome in sport capabilities after suffering from COVID-19 infection. The purpose of the study was to evaluate and compare lactate concentration and quality of life (QoL) in patients with Long-COVID with those who have not developed non-Long-COVID during Nordic walking exercise therapy. Methods: Twenty-nine patients (25.5 ± 7.1 years) took part in a non-randomized controlled trial, divided into two groups: a Long-COVID group (n = 16) and a non-Long-COVID control (n = 13). Patients were confirmed as having Long-COVID syndrome if they experienced fatigue or tiredness when performing daily activities and worsening of symptoms after vigorous physical or mental activity. All participants underwent a 12-week Nordic Walking program. Lactate concentration after exercise and distance covered during all sessions were measured. Pre- and Long-Nordic Walking program, the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), and EURO QoL-5D (EQ-ED) were administered to assess fatigue and quality of life, respectively. Results: There was a lactate concentration effect between groups (F = 5.604; p = 0.024). However, there was no significant effect as a result of the session (F = 3.521; p = 0.121) with no interaction of group × session (F = 1.345; p = 0.414). The group main effect (F = 23.088; p < 0.001), time effect (F = 6.625; p = 0.026), and group × time (F = 4.632; p = 0.002) interaction on the SF-36 scale were noted. Also, there were a significant group main effect (F = 38.372; p < 0.001), time effect (F = 12.424; p = 0.005), and group × time interaction (F = 4.340; p = 0.014) on EQ-5D. However, there was only a significant group main effect (F = 26.235; p < 0.001) with no effect on time (F = 2.265; p = 0.160) and group × time (F = 1.584; p = 0.234) interaction on the MFIS scale. Conclusions: The Long-COVID group showed higher lactate concentration compared with the control group during the 12 weeks of the Nordic Walking program. The Long-COVID group presented a decrease in fatigue with respect to the control group according to the MFIS scale, as well as improvement in quality of life after aerobic exercise therapy.

Background: The potential influence of genetics in athletic performance allows the search for genetic profiles associated with muscular work for the orientation of strength training and sports selection. The purpose of the study was to analyze four muscular exercises for effectiveness in improving explosive strength variables, associated to the genetics in Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) and α-actinin-3 (ACTN3) polymorphisms. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on a sample of 80 subjects allocated into four groups: concentric muscle work (CMW), eccentric muscle work (EMW), concentric-eccentric muscle (C-EMW) work and isometric muscular work (IMW), by block and gender randomization. Vertical jump, long jump, power jump, and speed were measured to study explosive strength. Genotypic frequencies of ACE (rs4646994) and ACTN3 (rs1815739) were obtained by polymerase chain reaction. Results: ACE gen showed significant improvements regarding the DD genotype in the Sargent test (p = 0.003) and sprint velocity test (p = 0.017). In the ACTN3 gene, the RR variable obtained improvement results with regard to RX and XX variables in long jump (p < 0.001), Sargent test (p < 0.001) and power jump (p = 0.004). Conclusions: The selected genes demonstrated an influence on the muscle work and the improvement in explosive strength variables with a decisive role regarding the type of muscle work performed.

Post-COVID-19 condition involves persistent symptoms after acute infection, often linked to dysautonomia, which affects heart rate variability, pain perception, fatigue, and sleep. Superficial neuromodulation has been proposed as a treatment. Objective: To assess the effects of superficial neuromodulation on symptoms, sleep quality, and autonomic function in post-COVID-19 condition patients. Methods: A pilot study was conducted based on a triple-blind randomized controlled trial methodology involving 16 female participants. The experimental group received neuromodulation, while the control group used a placebo device. The intervention spanned 15 sessions over two months. Primary outcomes included heart rate variability, pain threshold, cortisol levels, fatigue, sleep quality, and quality of life, analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Results: Both groups improved over time. Heart rate variability (SDNN) increased in the experimental group (30.42 to 39.11 ms) but decreased in controls (31.88 to 28.73 ms) (p < 0.05). Pain threshold at C5–C6 improved in the experimental group (2.1 to 3.5 kg/cm²) but remained stable in controls (p = 0.032). Fatigue decreased significantly in both groups (p = 0.002). Sleep quality improved, with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores decreasing similarly in both groups. Cortisol levels increased, with a non-significant trend favoring controls. Conclusions: While improvements were seen, both groups benefited, suggesting a possible placebo effect. Superficial neuromodulation appears safe, but further studies with larger samples are needed to confirm efficacy.

Introduction: Disability associated with the symptoms of post-COVID-19 syndrome is one of its main features and can have a considerable impact on care and rehabilitation units. This, linked to a decreased aerobic capacity and endurance in post-COVID-19 syndrome patients, increases interest in studying the potential of mobile applications to assess performance capacity. The purpose of this research was to study how a free mobile application assesses aerobic capacity and endurance and its relationship with aerobic capacity, test-retest reliability, and endurance evaluated by a conventional test, along with fatigue and health-related quality of life. Methods: An observational study was conducted. RUNZI^®, a free mobile application, was used by mounting a Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone using a strap on the right forearm while all participants simultaneously performed a 6-Minute Walking Test (6MWT). Construct validity between the 6MWT and the total distance performed evaluated by RUNZI^® was explored. Additionally, evaluation scales to assess fatigue (MFIS) and health-related quality of life (SF-36) were used to analyze the construct validity of RUNZI^®. For test–retest reliability of the app, the same instructions about the 6MWT and procedure with the app were given to all participants at two different time periods. Results: A total of 16 post-COVID-19 syndrome patients (15 females and 1 male) completed the procedure. Distance measured with the RUNZI^® showed an excellent correlation with the 6MWT assessed conventionally (p < 0.0001; r = 0.851). No statistical correlations were found between the distance assessed by the RUNZI^® app with MFIS and the SF-36. Test–retest reliability was found to be close to statistical significance (p = 0.058) for distance (m) measured by RUNZI^® with an ICC of 0.482. Conclusions: Instrumental 6MWT assessed by the RUNZI^® app for the Android^® operating system showed an excellent correlation with conventional 6MWT, indicating its construct validity in post-COVID-19 syndrome patients. Further, values for the test–retest reliability for the free mobile application were close to statistical significance with a reliability considered poor in an indoor setting.

Several genetic markers have shown associations with muscle performance and physical abilities, but the response to exercise therapy is still unknown. The aim of this study was to test the response of patients with long COVID through an aerobic physical therapy strategy by the Nordic walking program and how several genetic polymorphisms involved in muscle performance influence physical capabilities. Using a nonrandomized controlled pilot study, 29 patients who previously suffered from COVID-19 (long COVID = 13, COVID-19 = 16) performed a Nordic walking exercise therapy program for 12 sessions. The influence of the ACE (rs4646994), ACTN3 (rs1815739), AMPD1 (rs17602729), CKM (rs8111989), and MLCK (rs2849757 and rs2700352) polymorphisms, genotyped by using single nucleotide primer extension (SNPE) in lactic acid concentration was established with a three-way ANOVA (group × genotype × sessions). For ACE polymorphism, the main effect was lactic acid (p = 0.019). In ACTN3 polymorphism, there were no main effects of lactic acid, group, or genotype. However, the posthoc analysis revealed that, in comparison with nonlong COVID, long COVID increased lactic acid concentrations in Nordic walking sessions in CT and TT genotypes (all p < 0.05). For AMPD1 polymorphism, there were main effects of lactic acid, group, or genotype and lactic acid × genotype or lactic acid × group × genotype interactions (all p < 0.05). The posthoc analysis revealed that, in comparison with nonlong COVID, long COVID increased lactic acid concentrations in Nordic walking sessions in CC and CT genotypes (all p < 0.05). Physical therapy strategy through Nordic walking enhanced physical capabilities during aerobic exercise in post-COVID19 patients with different genotypes in ACTN3 c.1729C>T and AMPD1 c.34C>T polymorphisms. These findings suggest that individuals who reported long COVID who presumably exercised less beforehand appeared to be less able to exercise, based on lactate levels, and the effect of aerobic physical exercise enhanced physical capabilities conditioned by several genetic markers in long COVID patients.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly incorporated into higher education. However, most empirical studies focus on technological adoption or learner satisfaction rather than on how pedagogical design, perceived learning impact, and student experience interact within AI-mediated learning environments. Understanding these relationships is essential to determine whether AI supports higher-order reasoning processes rather than merely increasing technological engagement. Objective: This preliminary study aimed to develop and evaluate a theory-driven AI-mediated pedagogical framework and examine relationships between pedagogical design, perceived learning impact, and student satisfaction in a university learning context. Methods: An observational educational evaluation was conducted during implementation of an AI-mediated instructional framework in an undergraduate physiotherapy course. The full academic cohort (n = 22) completed a 24-item questionnaire assessing seven pedagogical domains on a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, exploratory regression modeling, and factor analysis were used to examine relationships among domains. Academic performance indicators were summarized descriptively. Results: Students reported high evaluations across all domains (means > 4.5/5). The strongest association with satisfaction was perceived learning impact (r = 0.79, p < 0.001). Moderate correlations were found for usability (r = 0.66), AI content quality (r = 0.61), pedagogical coherence (r = 0.58), critical thinking (r = 0.52), and ethical integration (r = 0.47). Academic pass rates exceeded 90%. Conclusions: Perceived learning impact emerged as the central mechanism linking AI-mediated instructional design to student satisfaction, suggesting that the educational value of AI depends on alignment with cognitively demanding learning processes.