To investigate the stressor-response process in physical activity using step count data from activity monitors following the COVID-19 lockdown, contributing to the understanding of resilience and recovery in physical activity.
Key Findings:
Participants' median daily step count decreased from over 10,000 to approximately 6,500 steps post-lockdown, indicating a significant impact on physical activity levels.
49% of participants took a median of 88 days to return to pre-lockdown activity levels, highlighting the prolonged effects of stressors.
Local dynamic complexity significantly predicts the rate of recovery in physical activity, suggesting its utility in monitoring recovery.
Interpretation:
The study highlights the potential of using step count data to understand individual recovery trajectories from stressors, suggesting that increased local dynamic complexity may indicate slower recovery rates, which could inform targeted interventions.
Limitations:
The sample may not represent the broader population due to its generally higher pre-lockdown activity levels, limiting the applicability of the findings.
The study is limited to the context of the COVID-19 lockdown and may not generalize to other stressors, necessitating further research in diverse contexts.
Conclusion:
Findings suggest that monitoring step counts can inform just-in-time interventions to support recovery from physical activity disruptions caused by stressors, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies in real-world applications.
by Dario Baretta, Sarah Koch, Joren Buekers, Judith Garcia-Aymerich, Lenka Knapova, Steriani Elavsky, Job Godino, Merlijn Olthof, Anna Lichtwarck-Aschoff, Ruud den Hartigh, Guillaume Chevance
