This is a call to action. The long-term sequelae of COVID-19 (post-COVID-19) pose a considerable challenge for public health, significantly impacting the personal and professional life of patients. There is a growing body of evidence available discussing possible mechanisms of these sequelae.
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It’s been a while since Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), causing major concerns and unfortunately panic in many countries. The on-going outbreak is of international concern and most countries have already announced a series of protective measures to confront this health threat of unknown magnitude. Travel warnings, scientific congress suspensions, cancellations of national holidays and closing of schools, amusement parks, cinemas, theatres and gyms are only some of these measures.
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Physical activity provides huge opportunities for the health of nations. Understanding this, the World Health Organization has published a Global Action Plan which aims to provide member states with a framework for action, namely to create active societies, people, environments and systems. The target is set at a 15% reduction in physical inactivity levels by 2030. We explore in this paper some of the challenges and opportunities that come with it, and give the practitioner some real-world opportunities for relevant action at the local level, as well as for their patients, staying true to the Physician’s Pledge (Declaration of Geneva): “I will attend to my own health, well-being, and abilities in order to provide care of the highest standard.”
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Introduction: Adequate physical activity is important for a healthy and age-appropriate development in children and adolescents with congenital heart disease (CHD). To enable each child with CHD individual and harmless physical activity an exam by a pediatric cardiologist/sports medicine physician, specific recommendations based on residual findings and structures of care are needed.
Methods: A selective review of the literature in PubMed was performed to retrieve current guidelines and review articles.
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Strategies to improve cognitive aging are highly needed. Among those, promotion of exercise and physical activity appears as one of the most attractive and beneficial intervention. Indeed, results from basic and clinical studies suggest that exercise and physical activity have positive effects on cognition in older persons without cognitive impairment, as well as in those with dementia. Despite inconsistent results, aerobic exercise appears to have the strongest potential to enhance cognition. However, even limited periods of walking (45 minutes, three times a week, over a 6-month period) have also been shown to enhance cognition, particularly executive functions.
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