Can tailored exercise help tame racing heart and fatigue after COVID?

NCT ID NCT05877534

First seen Jul 15, 2026 · Last updated Jul 16, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study investigates whether a 16-week individually tailored exercise program, guided by a physiotherapist, can help adults with post-COVID POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) spend more time upright and feel better. Participants are randomly assigned to either the exercise program plus standard care or standard care alone. The main outcomes are changes in time spent upright and health-related quality of life, with follow-up at 16 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
a 16-week individually tailored physical exercise program supervised by a physiotherapist
What this could lead to
If effective, this approach could offer a safe, drug-free way to manage POTS symptoms and improve daily function in people with post-COVID condition.
What could go wrong
This is a small early-stage trial with only 60 participants, and exercise may worsen symptoms like post-exertional malaise in some individuals.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Karolinska University Hospital

    Stockholm, 17176, Sweden

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