Home exercise and remote rehabilitation for veterans recovering from COVID-19
Official title: Home-Based Exercise Tele-Rehabilitation in High-Risk Veterans: Impact of COVID-19 Exposure and Socioeconomic Factors
Funded at Baltimore VA Medical Center · NIH-11305968 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A home-based exercise program with group video sessions designed to help veterans recovering from COVID-19 rebuild heart, lung, and overall physical strength.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baltimore VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2022 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX003639-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11305968 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Veterans (adults 21+, including many aged 65 and older) who had COVID-19 and have reduced cardiopulmonary or physical function are the intended participants.
✕Less likely to help
People without prior COVID-19, non-veterans, or those with unstable medical issues that make exercise unsafe may not benefit or be eligible.
What this research studies
This program offers guided home exercises plus group tele-rehabilitation sessions to help you regain cardiopulmonary and physical function after COVID-19. It focuses on veterans who often have other conditions like hypertension, diabetes, or chronic lung or heart disease that can hinder recovery. The team will track breathing, endurance, physical ability, and five WHO ICF components to measure changes over time. Sessions are delivered remotely so you can participate from home while keeping social distance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could help veterans improve breathing, endurance, and daily function after COVID-19 while making rehabilitation accessible at home.
How similar studies have gone: Remote pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation programs have helped people with chronic lung and heart disease and early post-COVID efforts show promise, but this specific home-plus-group tele-rehab approach for high-risk veterans is still being tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Baltimore VA Medical Center
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ryan, Alice S. — Baltimore VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Ryan, Alice S.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.