Three-step rhythmic breathing exercise and COVID-19: A cross-sectional study

Pandya, A.; Mavalankar, D.; Majithia, P.

Introduction: The present study assessed the prevalence of COVID-19 among people practicing three-step rhythmic breathing (3SRB) exercise and those who were not practicing any breathing exercises, including 3SRB exercise. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional observational study was conducted. Data was collected using a self-constructed online google survey tool from July 2020 to August 2020. Results: Out of a total 1083 sample, a higher proportion of the participants (41.3%) belonged to the 34-49 years age group, followed by the age group of 50-65 (32.5%). The sample was almost equally distributed; about 51.9% of the population was male, and 48.4% were female. The COVID-19 positivity was recorded almost double (3.1%) in groups not practicing 3SRB exercises compared to a group (1.3%) practicing 3SRB exercises. Furthermore, the practice of 3SRB was significantly associated with a lower percentage of COVID-19 infection (p=0.046). Conclusions: Practice of 3SRB is significantly associated with a lower percentage of COVID-19 infection. A future study with a robust methodology is warranted to validate the findings of this study and determine the effects of 3SRB on physiological and biological markers.