Yoga for COVID-19: An ancient practice for a new condition-A literature review

Autores da FMUP

• Ana Paula Soares Dias Ferreira

  Autor

Participantes de fora da FMUP

• Santos, DC
• Jaconiano, S
• Macedo, S
• Ribeiro, F
• Ponte, S
• Boaventura, P

Unidades de investigação

• Patologia

Abstract

A substantial proportion of people with acute COVID-19 develop post-COVID-19 condition (previously known as long-COVID) characterized by symptoms that persist for months after the initial infection, including neuropsy-chological sequelae. Post-COVID-19 condition frequency varies greatly according to different studies, with values ranging from 4 to 80% of the COVID-19 patients.Yoga is a psycho-somatic approach that increases physical, mental, emotional and spiritual strength, and connection. Yoga practice enhances innate immunity and mental health, so it can be used as complementary therapy in the COVID-19 treatment, namely the post-COVID-19 condition.In this article, we conducted a literature review on yoga and COVID-19, finding that an intervention comprising asana, pranayama, and meditation may be a strategy of choice for these patients recovery. However, further studies are needed to show its effectiveness in this, still unknown, context.

Keywords

• Yoga; COVID-19; Post-COVID-19 condition; Mind -body therapy