IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i20p13236-d942139.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Swimming at the Time of COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study among Young Italian Competitive Athletes

Author

Listed:
  • Francesca Gallè

    (Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Naples “Parthenope”, 80133 Naples, Italy)

  • Carmela Protano

    (Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Matteo Zaccarin

    (Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Stefano Zanni

    (Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Federica Valeriani

    (Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Rome, Italy)

  • Giorgio Liguori

    (Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Naples “Parthenope”, 80133 Naples, Italy)

  • Vincenzo Romano Spica

    (Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Rome, Italy)

  • Matteo Vitali

    (Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, several restriction measures were imposed to control the virus transmission, with important repercussions on different sectors, including sport. This study aimed to explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Italian competitive swimmers by analyzing how the disease and the restriction measures affected their training. In total, 396 competitive swimmers (mean age 16.0 ± 3.2 years) participated. A questionnaire was used to collect their general information, to assess whether they had had COVID-19 and the number of training days lost due to the disease or to the closure of swimming facilities, and the possible alternative training adopted. Twenty-four (6.1%) participants had had COVID-19 and lost, on average, 32 training days. The closure of facilities caused an interruption in swimming training for about 18% of the participants. The majority of these continued their training, mainly through home-based exercise, but reduced their weekly training time (-8 median hours/week). A positive association was found between regularly adopted weekly training volume and that assumed during pandemic closure (OR 9.433, CI95% 1.644–54.137, p = 0.012), suggesting that the previous level of engagement in sport can represent a predictor of exercise maintenance in challenging situations such as a pandemic. Further studies are needed to identify personal, environmental, and social resources that can help individuals to counteract the negative effects of restriction measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesca Gallè & Carmela Protano & Matteo Zaccarin & Stefano Zanni & Federica Valeriani & Giorgio Liguori & Vincenzo Romano Spica & Matteo Vitali, 2022. "Swimming at the Time of COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study among Young Italian Competitive Athletes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-8, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:20:p:13236-:d:942139
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/20/13236/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/20/13236/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Monoem Haddad & Zied Abbes & Iñigo Mujika & Karim Chamari, 2021. "Impact of COVID-19 on Swimming Training: Practical Recommendations during Home Confinement/Isolation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-12, April.
    2. Wojciech Głyk & Maciej Hołub & Jakub Karpiński & Wojciech Rejdych & Wojciech Sadowski & Alina Trybus & Jakub Baron & Łukasz Rydzik & Tadeusz Ambroży & Arkadiusz Stanula, 2022. "Effects of a 12-Week Detraining Period on Physical Capacity, Power and Speed in Elite Swimmers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-11, April.
    3. Jorge Lorenzo Calvo & Miriam Granado-Peinado & Alfonso de la Rubia & Diego Muriarte & Alberto Lorenzo & Daniel Mon-López, 2021. "Psychological States and Training Habits during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Spanish Basketball Athletes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-13, August.
    4. Francesca Gallè & Elita Anna Sabella & Stefano Ferracuti & Osvalda De Giglio & Giuseppina Caggiano & Carmela Protano & Federica Valeriani & Eduardo Alfonso Parisi & Giuliana Valerio & Giorgio Liguori , 2020. "Sedentary Behaviors and Physical Activity of Italian Undergraduate Students during Lockdown at the Time of CoViD?19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-11, August.
    5. Gloria Martinez Perez & Matthew VanSumeren & Michael Brown & Tamara Hew-Butler, 2021. "Pandemic-Induced Reductions on Swim Training Volume and Performance in Collegiate Swimmers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Matthew J. Savage & Philip J. Hennis & Daniele Magistro & James Donaldson & Laura C. Healy & Ruth M. James, 2021. "Nine Months into the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study Showing Mental Health and Movement Behaviours Are Impaired in UK Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-10, March.
    2. Benedetta Barchielli & Clarissa Cricenti & Francesca Gallè & Elita Anna Sabella & Fabrizio Liguori & Giovanna Da Molin & Giorgio Liguori & Giovanni Battista Orsi & Anna Maria Giannini & Stefano Ferrac, 2022. "Climate Changes, Natural Resources Depletion, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Russian-Ukrainian War: What Is the Impact on Habits Change and Mental Health?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-18, September.
    3. Agnieszka Chwałczyńska & Waldemar Andrzejewski, 2021. "Changes in Body Mass and Composition of the Body as Well as Physical Activity and Time Spent in Front of the Monitor by Students of the Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences during the Perio," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-12, July.
    4. Aurélie Goncalves & Sarah Le Vigouroux & Elodie Charbonnier, 2021. "University Students’ Lifestyle Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Four-Wave Longitudinal Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-9, August.
    5. Haleama Al Sabbah & Zainab Taha & Radwan Qasrawi & Enas A. Assaf & Leila Cheikh Ismail & Ayesha S. Al Dhaheri & Maha Hoteit & Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh & Reema Tayyem & Hiba Bawadi & Majid AlKhalaf & Khlood B, 2022. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Physical (In)Activity Behavior in 10 Arab Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-15, August.
    6. Natalia Sauer & Agnieszka Sałek & Wojciech Szlasa & Tomasz Ciecieląg & Jakub Obara & Sara Gaweł & Dominik Marciniak & Katarzyna Karłowicz-Bodalska, 2022. "The Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Well-Being of College Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-14, April.
    7. Yu-Hsiu Chu & Yao-Chuen Li, 2022. "The Impact of Online Learning on Physical and Mental Health in University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-10, March.
    8. Maria Ferrara & Elisa Langiano & Lavinia Falese & Pierluigi Diotaiuti & Cristina Cortis & Elisabetta De Vito, 2022. "Changes in Physical Activity Levels and Eating Behaviours during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Sociodemographic Analysis in University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-17, May.
    9. Ana Rodríguez-Larrad & Asier Mañas & Idoia Labayen & Marcela González-Gross & Ander Espin & Susana Aznar & José Antonio Serrano-Sánchez & Francisco J. Vera-Garcia & Domingo González-Lamuño & Ignacio A, 2021. "Impact of COVID-19 Confinement on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour in Spanish University Students: Role of Gender," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-14, January.
    10. Todd McFall & John Whitehead, 2024. "Measuring the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Elite Swimming Performance," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 25(5), pages 634-656, June.
    11. María Giner-Murillo & Beatriz Atienza-Carbonell & Jose Cervera-Martínez & Teresa Bobes-Bascarán & Benedicto Crespo-Facorro & Raquel B. De Boni & Cristina Esteban & María Paz García-Portilla & Susana G, 2021. "Lifestyle in Undergraduate Students and Demographically Matched Controls during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-17, July.
    12. Teresa Rubio-Tomás & Maria Skouroliakou & Dimitrios Ntountaniotis, 2022. "Lockdown Due to COVID-19 and Its Consequences on Diet, Physical Activity, Lifestyle, and Other Aspects of Daily Life Worldwide: A Narrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-41, June.
    13. Margherita Micheletti Cremasco & Anna Mulasso & Alessia Moroni & Andrea Testa & Raffaella Degan & Alberto Rainoldi & Emanuela Rabaglietti, 2021. "Relation among Perceived Weight Change, Sedentary Activities and Sleep Quality during COVID-19 Lockdown: A Study in an Academic Community in Northern Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-14, March.
    14. Terence Moriarty & Kelsey Bourbeau & Fabio Fontana & Scott McNamara & Michael Pereira da Silva, 2021. "The Relationship between Psychological Stress and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors during COVID-19 among Students in a US Midwest University," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-11, April.
    15. Dana Badau & Adela Badau & Cristian Trambitas & Dia Trambitas-Miron & Raluca Moraru & Alexandru Antoniu Stan & Bogdan Marian Oancea & Ioan Turcu & Emilia Florina Grosu & Vlad Teodor Grosu & Lucia Geor, 2021. "Differences between Active and Semi-Active Students Regarding the Parameters of Body Composition Using Bioimpedance and Magnetic Bioresonance Technologies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-14, July.
    16. Vladimir Reshetnikov & Oleg Mitrokhin & Elena Belova & Victor Mikhailovsky & Maria Mikerova & Ali Alsaegh & Irina Yakushina & Valery Royuk, 2021. "Indoor Environmental Quality in Dwellings and Lifestyle Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Russian Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-9, June.
    17. Justin A. DeBlauw & Mary Stenson & Astrid Mel & Daniela German & Aaron Jaggernauth & Brian Lora & Noa Schabes & Raymani Walker & Farouq Yusuf & Stephen J. Ives, 2023. "The Impact of COVID-19 Health and Safety Measures on the Self-Reported Exercise Behaviors and Mental Health of College Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(24), pages 1-14, December.
    18. Anna Mulasso & Margherita Micheletti Cremasco & Simone Cuomo & Andrea Testa & Lynda Stella Lattke & Aurelia De Lorenzo & Alberto Rainoldi & Emanuela Rabaglietti, 2023. "“Stay at Home” during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Effects on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in an Italian Academic Community," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-13, January.
    19. Lilian Krist & Christina Dornquast & Thomas Reinhold & Katja Icke & Ina Danquah & Stefan N. Willich & Heiko Becher & Thomas Keil, 2021. "Predictors of Changes in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Turkish Migrant Cohort in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-13, September.
    20. Maria-Crina Radu & Carol Schnakovszky & Eugen Herghelegiu & Vlad-Andrei Ciubotariu & Ion Cristea, 2020. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Quality of Educational Process: A Student Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-15, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:20:p:13236-:d:942139. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.