By Fábio Hech Dominski and Bruno Hech Dominski
The volume of scientific articles published on COVID-19 over the past few months is remarkable. Over 10,000 articles can be found on PubMed and EMBASE about the origin of the virus, diagnosis and treatment of the virus, as well as its politic and economic impacts– over 120,000 researchers have contributing to 824 journals (6 May 2020).
The BJSM Blog published a series of topics related to COVID-19 as well, including:
- an analysis of the relationship among exercise and infectious disease (1),
- tips to stay active and remain calm while “social distancing” is underway (2,3),
- NSAIDs and corticosteroid injections during pandemic (4),
- the description of an open and democratic movement connecting upcoming health care professionals around the world promoting good health – the QuaranTrain (5),
- athlete mental health and mental illness (6),
- the mental health impacts of the disease and implications for exercise professionals (7),
- educational issues during any therapeutic interaction (8),
- tips to online teaching in healthcare education (9),
- how professionals in sports and exercise medicine could improve telehealth skills (10),
- guidance for exercise to ‘at-risk’ or vulnerable COVID-19 groups (11),
- physiotherapy practices during pandemic period (12),
- guidelines to physical activity for children and young people under 5 years (13),
- and aged 5-18 years (14),
- the consequences of postponing Tokyo 2020 (15),
- The Aspetar COVID-19 Evidence for Athletes Service (16),
- the feasibility of combat sports events, cardiac, respiratory and mental health of athletes (17-22)
- considerations for athletes, and risk assessment and factors to consider in professional sport to recommence (23) and
- tips to find motivation to be active during the pandemic (24)
As of May 19th, a total of 24 blog posts related to COVID-19 were posted, with 72 authors contributing from the UK, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Italy, United States, Netherlands, and Switzerland. The blog posts were visited more than 70,500 times and shared on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
In addition to Sport and Exercise Medicine professionals, researchers and the public, some blogs were targeted at specific populations such as athletes, those at high-risk and children. The nature of the BJSM blog allowed for quick publishing times and therefore were ahead of the fast building body of evidence. In an quick and accessible way, the BJSM Blog has and continues to contribute scientific knowledge on exercise and health during the COVID-19 pandemic, playing an important role in disseminating evidence-based knowledge to both the public and SEM professionals.
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Fábio Hech Dominski1 is a Brazilian physical education professor and PhD student. He lives in Florianopolis and works in Joinville. When not studying in the Laboratory of Sport and Exercise Psychology at the Santa Catarina State University, he can be found weightlifting at the gym, or now at home. E-mail: fabio.dominski@udesc.br and Instagram: @fabiodominski
Bruno Hech Dominski2 is a Brazilian biologist and master’s student. He lives and studies in Florianopolis. When not doing his research at the Laboratory of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Bruno likes to read a good book and play videogames. E-mail: brunodominski7@gmail.com and Instagram: @brunodominski
- Laboratory of Sport and Exercise Psychology (Lape) of the Santa Catarina State University – Florianópolis – SC, Brazil.
- Laboratory of Bacterial Molecular Genetics (GeMBac) of the Federal University of Santa Catarina – Florianópolis – SC, Brazil.
Competing interests
None declared
References
- Exercise and Infectious Diseases – Covid-19. BJSM Blog. March 17, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/03/17/exercise-and-infectious-diseases-covid-19/
- 5 Tips to stay active and remain calm while “social distancing” this month. BJSM Blog. March 18, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/03/18/5-tips-to-stay-active-and-maintain-mental-calm-while-social-distancing-this-month/
- Stay calm, be active: simple ways to boost your physical activity during COVID-19. BJSM Blog. March 30, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/03/30/stay-calm-be-active-simple-ways-to-boost-your-physical-activity-during-covid-19/
- NSAIDs and corticosteroid injections during the COVID pandemic: what Sport and Exercise Medicine Physicians (and sports physios) should know. BJSM Blog. March 21, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/03/21/nsaids-and-corticosteroid-injections-during-the-covid-pandemic-what-sport-and-exercise-medicine-physicians-and-sports-physios-should-know/
- QuaranTrain- online support for good health and well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic. BJSM Blog. March 23, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/03/23/quarantrain-online-support-for-good-health-and-well-being-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/
- Athlete mental health and mental illness in the era of COVID-19: shifting focus with a new reality. BJSM Blog. March 25, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/03/25/athlete-mental-health-and-mental-illness-in-the-era-of-covid-19-shifting-focus-a-new-reality/
- Mental health impacts of Covid19: Implications for exercise professionals. BJSM Blog. April 1, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/01/mental-health-impacts-of-covid19-implications-for-exercise-professionals/
- A letter from Italy: all healthcare providers are part of the solution to COVID-19. BJSM Blog. April 2, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/02/a-letter-from-italy-healthcare-providers-are-part-of-the-solution/
- Educators in a Dangerous Time: effective online healthcare education with Dr. Jackie Whittaker. BJSM Blog. April 5, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/05/educators-in-a-dangerous-time-effective-online-healthcare-education-with-dr-jackie-whittaker/
- COVID-19 as an urgency to develop our telehealth skills. BJSM Blog. April 6, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/06/covid-19-as-an-urgency-to-develop-our-telehealth-skills/
- For the ‘at-risk’ or vulnerable COVID-19 group: staying or becoming active during social distancing. BJSM Blog. April 8, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/08/for-the-at-risk-or-vulnerable-covid-19-group-staying-or-becoming-active-during-social-distancing/
- Coronavirus: a physio seeking hope amidst the chaos. BJSM Blog. April 10, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/10/coronavirus-a-physio-seeking-hope-amidst-the-chaos/
- Physical activity for children under 5 years during COVID-19: Play your way and keep moving while at home. BJSM Blog. April 29, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/29/physical-activity-for-children-under-5-years-during-covid-19-play-your-way-and-keep-moving-while-at-home/
- Physical activity for children and young people aged 5-18 years during COVID-19. Stay safe; be active. BJSM Blog. April 13, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/13/physical-activity-for-children-and-young-people-aged-5-18-years-during-covid-19-stay-safe-be-active/
- The consequences of postponing Tokyo 2020. BJSM Blog. April 16, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/16/the-consequences-of-postponing-tokyo-2020/
- The Aspetar COVID-19 Evidence for Athletes Service. BJSM Blog. April 20, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/20/can-i-trust-the-messenger-and-their-advice-the-aspetar-covid-19-evidence-for-athletes-service/
- COVID-19 and combat sports: to fight or not to fight? BJSM Blog. April 22, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/22/covid-19-and-combat-sports-to-fight-or-not-to-fight/
- The resurgence of sport in the wake of COVID-19: cardiac considerations in competitive athletes. BJSM Blog. April 24, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/24/the-resurgence-of-sport-in-the-wake-of-covid-19-cardiac-considerations-in-competitive-athletes/
- Concerned about COVID-19 and the athletic heart? Prof Jon Drezner gives insight. Episode #427. BJSM Blog. May 9, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/05/09/concerned-about-covid-19-and-the-athletic-heart-prof-jon-drezner-gives-insight-episode-427/
- Respiratory health in athletes: facing the COVID-19 challenge with Dr James Hull. Episode #428. BJSM Blog. May 19, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/05/19/respiratory-health-in-athletes-facing-the-covid-19-challenge-with-dr-james-hull-episode-428/
- Mental health in Athletes and COVID-19 – Phil and Georgia Hopley discuss. Episode#425. BJSM Blog. April 26, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/26/mental-health-in-athletes-and-covid-19-phil-and-georgia-hopley-discuss-episode425/
- Anxiety and insomnia in athletes during the COVID era: Part 1 – Foundation and Facts. BJSM Blog. April 27, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/27/anxiety-and-insomnia-in-athletes-during-the-covid-era-part-1-foundation-and-facts/
- When can professional sport recommence safely during the COVID-19 pandemic? Risk Assessment and factors to consider. BJSM Blog. April 30, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/30/when-can-professional-sport-recommence-safely-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-risk-assessment-and-factors-to-consider/
- Missing in action: “Where is my Mojo?”. BJSM Blog. May 12, 2020. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/05/12/missing-in-action-where-is-my-mojo/