Exercise could promote recovery following COVID-19, study finds

CoronavirusLifestyleResearchResearch successScienceSport
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New research has found that exercise can help restore the immune system after COVID-19, easing symptoms such as fatigue, joint pain, and other long-term effects.

The study, led by Loughborough University’s Professor Lettie Bishop, found that people who underwent an exercise programme after contracting COVID-19 improved numbers of immune cells  that are particularly important for fighting against new infections.

The trial involved 31 patients diagnosed with post-COVID syndrome who had previously been hospitalised with the condition.

Participants were randomly selected for an eight-week exercise-based rehabilitation program that included treadmill walking, cycling, and strength training, while the rest received standard care. Those who took part in exercise had significantly more immune cells after the programme, than those who received standard care.

Professor Bishop explained:Research suggests that people with post-COVID syndrome are more likely to have a dysregulated immune system that can lead to disproportionate reactions, damage to healthy cells and ongoing inflammation.  This may contribute to the symptoms experienced in post-COVID syndrome.  

“Active rehabilitation improved numbers of the types of T cells responsible for providing rapid responses to both re-exposure to previous infections and new infections.  These early findings suggest that physical activity, for those who can participate, might play an important role in restoring immune balance in people with post-COVID syndrome.”

The study was delivered in collaboration with the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre – Respiratory Theme and presented by Dr Enya Daynes at the annual European Respiratory Society Congress meeting in Amsterdam.

The research team now plans to investigate whether the benefits of exercise are the same in patients who had not been hospitalised with COVID.

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: 25/138

About Loughborough University

Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme and named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2025 QS World University Rankings – the ninth year running.

Loughborough has been ranked seventh in the Complete University Guide 2026 – out of 130 institutions.

This milestone marks a decade in the top ten for Loughborough – a feat shared only by the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, St Andrews, Durham and Imperial.

Loughborough was also named University of the Year for Sport in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 - the fourth time it has been awarded the prestigious title.

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 over 90% of its research was rated as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally-excellent’. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Higher and Further Education.

The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.