McMullan, Christel, Haroon, Shamil, Turner, Grace et al. · Scientific reports · 2025 · DOI
This study asked people with Long COVID about their experiences using 'pacing'—a strategy to manage energy by balancing activity and rest. Researchers gave questionnaires to 28 people and interviewed 19 of them. Most participants found pacing helpful for planning activities and staying motivated, though some found it complicated and difficult to follow without clearer guidance.
Pacing is an established energy-management strategy for ME/CFS, and this study provides preliminary evidence that it may also benefit Long COVID patients who experience similar fatigue and post-exertional malaise. Understanding patient perspectives on pacing feasibility and acceptability is essential for designing effective rehabilitation interventions for both conditions.
This feasibility study does not prove that pacing is clinically effective for Long COVID—it only demonstrates that patients can use it and find it acceptable. The study lacks a control group, so any perceived benefits cannot be distinguished from placebo effect or natural recovery. Results are limited to non-hospitalised patients and may not generalise to more severe Long COVID cases.
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 →
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