Goosen, Andrea, Foster-Bonds, Romina, Vogel, Julia Moore · Cardiopulmonary physical therapy journal · 2025 · DOI
This small study looked at whether fitness trackers (Garmin watches) could help Long COVID patients manage their symptoms through pacing—carefully controlling activity levels to avoid overexertion. Eleven patients received a tracker, educational materials about pacing, and were asked about their experience. Most participants found the information helpful for managing their symptoms, and none had difficulty using the device, even those who had never used a wearable before.
Pacing is a widely-recommended symptom management strategy for ME/CFS and Long COVID, but patients struggle to implement it consistently. This study suggests that accessible wearable technology paired with education could be a practical tool to help patients monitor activity and manage their condition, potentially informing design of larger clinical trials.
This pilot study does not prove that wearable devices reduce Long COVID or ME/CFS symptom severity—it only shows that users found the materials subjectively helpful. Without a control group and objective symptom measurements, the findings cannot distinguish between the benefit of the device itself, the education materials, or natural symptom fluctuation. The very small sample size and self-reported outcomes mean results may not apply to broader populations.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
Spotted an error in this entry? Report it →