Cold water hydrotherapy to support rehabilitation in Post-COVID Syndrome
Official title: Effects of Kneipp Hydrotherapy During Inpatient Post-Covid-19 Rehabilitation: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Run by Schön Klinik Berchtesgadener Land · NCT07013903 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This tests whether adding cold water hydrotherapy to standard rehabilitation helps people with Post-COVID Syndrome improve their quality of life.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Schön Klinik Berchtesgadener Land Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Schönau am Königssee, Bavaria) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 21, 2025 |
| Main results expected | January 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | October 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | August 28, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07013903 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults diagnosed with Post-COVID Syndrome (ICD-10 U08.9) who are referred for Post-COVID rehabilitation, have a Barthel Index over 80, own a smartphone for digital questionnaires and HRV monitoring, and can provide written informed consent.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with contraindications to cold hydrotherapy (for example severe cardiovascular disease, acute deep vein thrombosis, uncontrolled epilepsy) or those who already practice Kneipp applications regularly are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a randomized controlled study comparing standard rehabilitation plus Kneipp-style cold water hydrotherapy to standard rehabilitation alone in patients with Post-COVID Syndrome. Participants are referred to a single German reference center and will receive baseline and follow-up assessments including quality-of-life questionnaires and heart rate variability monitoring via a smartphone app. The intervention is intended as an adjunct to usual rehab care and targets autonomic regulation, microcirculation, inflammation, and musculoskeletal recovery through repeated cold-water applications. The primary outcome is change in quality of life compared with standard rehabilitation alone.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could accelerate functional recovery and reduce symptom burden, leading to meaningful improvements in quality of life for people with Post-COVID Syndrome.
How similar studies have gone: Cold hydrotherapy and thermo-stimulation have shown physiological benefits for autonomic balance and circulation in other conditions, but randomized evidence specifically in Post-COVID populations is limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of Post-COVID Syndrome (ICD-10 code: U08.9) * Barthel-Index \>80 * Referred to the reference center for Post-COVID rehabilitation * Owning a smartphone to receive digital questionnaires and to use the measurement app for heart rate variability * Written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Existing contraindications for Kneipp hydrotherapy like severe cardiovascular diseases (e.g., decompensated heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction), severe venous diseases (e.g., acute deep vein thrombosis of the leg), severe neurological diseases (e.g., uncontrolled epilepsy) * Prior regular practice of Kneipp applications
Where it's running
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Schön Klinik Berchtesgadener Land
Schönau am Königssee, Bavaria, Germany Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Rembert Koczulla, MD — Schön Klinik Berchtesgadener Land
- Study coordinator: Rainer Gloeckl, PhD
- Email: rgloeckl@schoen-klinik.de
- Phone: +498652931630
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.