Kneipp cold-water hydrotherapy for people with Long COVID
Official title: Effects of Kneipp Hydrotherapy in Post-COVID-19 Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Run by Eggensberger OHG · NCT07110714 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This randomized trial will test whether regular Kneipp cold-water hydrotherapy can improve quality of life for people with Post‑COVID Syndrome.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 30 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Eggensberger OHG Industry-sponsored |
| Locations | 1 site (Füssen, Bavaria) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | December 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | January 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | October 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | December 2, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07110714 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with Post‑COVID Syndrome (ICD‑10 U08.9) who have preserved basic function (Barthel Index >80), own a smartphone for HRV monitoring, can travel to Füssen, and have no contraindications to cold hydrotherapy.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with severe cardiovascular, venous, or neurological conditions, those unable to attend the site, or those who already practice Kneipp regularly are unlikely to benefit from or be eligible for 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 randomized controlled study in Füssen, Bavaria compares a program of cold-water Kneipp hydrotherapy plus usual care versus usual care alone in patients with Post‑COVID Syndrome. Participants undergo baseline questionnaires and heart rate variability monitoring via a smartphone app, then are randomized to receive repeated cold-water applications or no hydrotherapy. Primary outcomes focus on change in quality of life, with additional measures of autonomic function, microcirculation, and symptom burden over the intervention period. The protocol excludes patients with major cardiovascular, severe venous, or severe neurological contraindications and those with prior regular Kneipp practice.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could reduce symptom burden and speed functional recovery, improving quality of life for people with Long COVID.
How similar studies have gone: Thermohydrotherapy and cold-stimulation therapies have shown physiological benefits for autonomic balance, circulation, and inflammation in other settings, but randomized evidence specifically in Post‑COVID Syndrome 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 * 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
-
Eggensberger Ohg
Füssen, Bavaria, Germany Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Rembert Koczulla, MD — Schön Klinik Berchtesgadener Land
- Study coordinator: Andreas Eggensberger, MSc
- Email: a.eggensberger@eggensberger.de
- Phone: +4983629103300
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
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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.