Impact of sedentarism due to the COVID‐19 home confinement on neuromuscular, cardiovascular and metabolic health: Physiological and pathophysiological implications and recommendations for physical and nutritional countermeasures

Abstract The COVID‐19 pandemic is an unprecedented health crisis as entire populations have been asked to self‐isolate and live in home‐confinement for several weeks to months, which in itself represents a physiological challenge with significant health risks. This paper describes the impact of sedentarism on the human body at the level of the muscular, cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine and nervous systems and is based on evidence from several models of inactivity, including bed rest, unilateral limb suspension, and step‐reduction. Data form these studies show that muscle wasting occurs rapidly, being detectable within two days of inactivity. This loss of muscle mass is associated with fibre denervation,…

• AS
  Agenzia Spaziale Italiana
• MR
  Medical Research Council

  Award: MR/K00414X/1