Home Exercise with Smartwatch Support for COVID-19 Recovery
Official title: Remotely Monitored, Mobile health-supported High Intensity Interval Training after COVID-19 Critical Illness (REMM HIIT-Covid19)
Funded at Duke University · NIH-10919804 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project helps people who were very sick with COVID-19 recover their strength and balance at home using a special exercise program and a smartwatch.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $783,550 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD107103-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10919804 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults aged 21 and older who have experienced severe COVID-19 critical illness requiring ICU treatment and are now recovering from post-hospital disabilities.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who did not experience severe COVID-19 critical illness or are not experiencing post-hospital physical disabilities may not receive direct benefit from this specific program.
What this research studies
Many people who were very sick with COVID-19 and needed intensive care often experience lasting problems with their physical abilities, strength, and balance after leaving the hospital. This project offers a personalized exercise program, called High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), that you can do at home to help regain your strength and improve your overall fitness. You would use a smartwatch, like an Apple Watch, to track your heart rate and activity, allowing the research team to remotely monitor your progress and adjust your exercises as needed. The program also includes specific strength and balance training to help you recover more fully from the effects of critical illness.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could provide an effective and accessible way for COVID-19 survivors to recover their physical function and reduce long-term disabilities from home.
How similar studies have gone: While previous studies have shown benefits of physical rehabilitation for ICU survivors, this approach is novel in its use of actively monitored, personalized, home-based HIIT with integrated strength and balance training.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wischmeyer, Paul E — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Wischmeyer, Paul E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Remotely Monitored HIIT After COVID-19 ICU Stay
A home-based, high-intensity interval training program guided by wearable tech to help adults recover physical function after severe COVID-19 illness.
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Using mobile health to support exercise for COVID-19 survivors
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A study in veterans explores whether changing weight through lifestyle habits can improve recovery after COVID-19–related health problems.
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Glucocorticoids and critical illness outcomes in ICU patients
A researcher team at Columbia University will study how glucocorticoids affect short- and long-term outcomes for people who survive critical illness, including mental health and recovery aspects.
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.