Musculoskeletal complaints following hospitalization for COVID-19 infection

• Post-COVID is a complex disease that can affect different organ systems. • Hospitalized COVID patients are at high risk of developing limb or joint problems. • Women of working age are particularly affected by the resulting disabilities. • The potential socio-economic impact cannot yet be estimated. • Further studies are needed and planned to better assess the risk of post-COVID. The term post- or long-COVID syndrome describes >50 possible long-term effects on various organ systems following COVID-19 infection. The pathophysiology of most symptoms remains unclear, and the time course of symptom onset varies widely. Using a telephone survey and validated questionnaires we investigated the incidence of musculoskeletal complaints after inpatient treatment for COVID-19 infection compared with patients hospitalized for a non-COVID diagnosis. 112 patients were followed up for least 6 months after discharge (range 6–21 months). Hospitalized and ICU-treated COVID patients showed significant changes in WOMAC scores for the lower extremities (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.005). There is also a significant change in the post-discharge question about new limb complaints (Chi-squared test, p = 0.005), regardless of whether the patients received intensive care or not. The majority of COVID patients with joint or muscle symptoms describe them as widespread and much less frequently as localized and restricted to one region. In addition to the already known long-term effects, there is evidence that patients with COVID who have been treated in an inpatient setting may also suffer from long-term musculoskeletal effects. Women of working age are particularly affected by the resulting limitations.