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Posts Tagged ‘long covid’

Long Covid Patients Learn from Opera

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on May 15, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Photo: English National Opera [ENO].
Participants in an ENO Breathe live Zoom session.

An incurable disease from mouse droppings may be hogging the headlines right now, but don’t forget that we’re still figuring out how to treat Covid — especially “long Covid.” (See the Harvard Gazette on recent long Covid research, here.)

Today’s story shows how different fields can learn from one another. Just to go to work, opera singers, for example, needed to overcome Covid-generated breathing challenges. Today they are sharing what the’ve learned.

Hattie Fisk writes at the Stage, “English National Opera’s program to support people suffering from long-Covid continues to deliver clinically measurable improvements, according to a new study.

“ENO Breathe is a free, live six-week online course developed in collaboration with clinicians from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and uses singing techniques with a particular focus on lullabies from around the world. It was initially developed in 2020 to support people recovering from Covid-19.

“Supporting more than 4,829 participants since its launch in September 2020, the program has expanded to take referrals from 85 NHS partners nationally.

“Published in the Lancet Digital Health, a new study looked at 1,438 of these participants and found that 80% reported improved levels of breathlessness, with 61% having achieved clinically important improvements in breathlessness. 

“Of the participants, 87% said that it had a positive impact on their general well-being and 73% reported improved anxiety levels.

“These findings build on earlier data published in April 2022 from the program’s initial randomized controlled trial and provide evidence for potential further integration of the program in NHS services, the study said.

“Recent participant of ENO Breathe Janardhan Rao called the program ‘transformational.’

“He said: ‘As a doctor who contracted Covid-19 early on, in my line of work, the lasting effects of the disease have been devastating. I had to stop working as I had real difficulty catching my breath. I could not speak for any length of time and was continuously exhausted. … I was breathless all the time, but with the weekly program of mindful breathing exercises and simple lullabies, I found that I could speak in sentences again. As my breathing improved, I found that I had the energy to go back to work. I am so grateful for this program,’ he continued.

“Beth Warnock, ENO director of Engage, added: ‘Research such as this continues to show the powerful role the arts can play in healthcare, particularly when delivered in close partnership with clinicians. We are incredibly grateful to our partners at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust for their expertise and collaboration in both developing and rigorously evaluating ENO Breathe. Building on this evidence, we now look forward to expanding ENO Breathe further to support people living with COPD and asthma.’ “

More at the Stage, here.

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Aqua Aerobics in Australia

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on May 7, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Photo: Barbara Alper/Getty Images.
Aqua aerobics is pitched at those who are ‘young at heart, recovering from pregnancy, or rehabilitating,’ writes Kate Leaver.

Since I moved to a retirement community with many excellent exercise instructors, I’ve been impressed to see how many seniors are really serious about staying in shape — even people close to 100. Today’s story is about a particular kind of class for older people, but not just older people. It comes from Sydney, Australia, via the Guardian.

Kate Leaver writes about her experience with a water aerobics class.

“At my first class, we sang Barbara ‘Happy Birthday.’ She was turning 80, doing fly-kicks underwater with the rest of us. …

“That’s the main demographic for aqua aerobics at the Manly’s Andrew Boy Charlton aquatic center in Sydney: women born in the era of Barbaras, Margarets and Gladyses, many of them wearing a full face of makeup and gold earrings. They keep their faces immaculate by extending their necks and keeping their heads above water (I’ve asked).

“Each week, 30 people turn up for 45 minutes of guided exercise, half-submerged in a heated, chlorinated lap pool. It’s popular: tickets go on sale three days in advance and it’s sold out within hours. …

“Aqua aerobics is pitched at those who are ‘young at heart, recovering from pregnancy, or rehabilitating.’ My mum and I are in that third category: rehab. She, from cancer; me, from long Covid (I contracted the virus at a Harry Styles concert in June 2022 and am yet to fully recover). Having spent a displeasing number of days/months/years lying down, we felt ready for some gentle exercise.

“It’s probably the most fun I’ve ever had in the pursuit of mild fitness. … The vibes are unmatched – it’s all ‘Very nice, Susan’ and ‘Lift those legs, Carol,’ never ‘No pain, no gain.’ One time, a young man with a six-pack walked the length of the pool in Speedos and I watched as a wave of giggles spread across the pool in his wake. …

“It’s a great workout, too, especially for anyone easing back into movement. The buoyancy of the water reduces strain on your joints and makes injuries less likely than routines on dry land. It’s adaptable in that you can glide your limbs for a mobility exercise or you can work up a sweat against the resistance of the water. I have to take it slow, but if you went hell for leather with some of these moves, you could really get your heart pumping.

“We do knee raises, lunges, kicks, punches and bicep curls. We jog back and forth in the water. We hold on to the edge of the pool and kick, kick, kick. We dance underwater to get our heart rates up and alternate between cardio and strengthening. Our leader is a loud, fit, flexible, brilliant middle-aged woman who has a special place in my heart because of the way she speaks to anyone who looks as though they might be struggling with her choreo. ‘You OK there, Maggie?’ she’ll say. ‘Don’t make me come in there and get you.’ She remembers people’s names, gently reminds the gossipers down the shallow end to concentrate, and winks at anyone who needs encouragement.

“She has a Britney microphone and a killer playlist of hits from the 70s and 80s. I don’t think I had truly lived until I’d done a kick-jump-kick sequence underwater while singing ‘There lived a certain man in Russia long ago / He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow’ (Rasputin by Boney M, 1978).

“I will never again take a spin class run by a shouting bodybuilder or think of exercise as punishment. Not when this is an option. It’s a joy from start to finish, a truly adorable mother-daughter activity.” More at the Guardian, here.

I’m zeroing in on the soundtrack. In one of my classes we’ve had the same ’50s-’60s mix twice a week for 10 months. As much as I love music from those decades, would welcome a change to almost anything!

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