Recruiting

Water-based Activity

Sponsor:

VA Office of Research and Development

Code:

NCT06142253

Conditions

Long COVID

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

WATER+CT

Usual Care

Study Details

Brief summary:

This two-year study will evaluate the feasibility and safety of an exercise + cognitive training program to improve neurological symptoms of long-COVID. This is a two-phased trial: 1) an exercise phase and 2) a cognitive training phase. The exercise phase will be an aquatic based exercise program. A combination exercise + memory training programs designed for persons with cognitive impairment have significantly improved memory more than other single intervention groups (exercise only, cognitive training only) and given the success of combination training programs with healthy adults, it is important to adapt these programs for persons with neurological symptoms of long-COVID.

Conditions

Long COVID

Study ID

NCT06142253

Start date

Dec 1, 2024

Status verified date

Jun, 2026

Completion date

Dec 31, 2026

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Dec 31, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Veterans, age 18 to 89, of any racial or ethnic group
  • Previous COVID-19 infection at least 6 months after diagnosis documented in clinical record
  • Persistent neurological symptoms (e.g., "brain fog", cognitive impairment) occurring within 3 months of onset of COVID-19 infection and lasting at least 8 weeks in duration
  • Visual and auditory acuity to allow neuropsychological testing
  • Willingness to participate in clinical trial for 8 months
  • Approval by Primary Care Provider to participate in water-based physical exercise

Exclusion Criteria:

Psychiatric Exclusions

  • Current, uncontrolled severe psychotic disorder determined by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) Medical Exclusions
  • History of neurological (e.g., multiple sclerosis, seizure disorder, stroke,) neurodegenerative (e.g., Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease) or system illness affecting CNS function (e.g., liver failure, kidney failure, congestive heart failure, systemic cancer) occurring before COVID-19 diagnosis
  • Current severe cardiac disease (e.g., uncontrolled atrial fibrillation, defined as mean 24 hour heart rate >85 beats/min, or 24 hour maximal ventricular rate >150 beats/min; uncontrolled ventricular arrhythmias, defined as recurrent ventricular tachycardia >3 beats in succession, or 24 hour PVC count >20%; active pericarditis or myocarditis; Class III/IV heart failure and / or ejection fraction < 20%; thrombophlebitis; pulmonary disease with a drop in O2 Sat with exercise to 90% without oxygen; embolism within past 6 months)
  • Inability to participate in an exercise stress test
  • Inability to read, verbalize understanding and voluntarily sign the Informed Consent

Study Design

Enrollment

50 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: WATER+CT

This is 8-month long two phase intervention consisting of: 1) 6 months of aquatic exercise followed by 2) 2 months of cognitive training.

other: Usual Care

This arm consists of psychoeducation regarding brain health and healthy lifestyles.

Interventions

WATER+CT

This is an 8-month long two phase intervention. The first phase consists of 6 months of thrice weekly pool-based exercise occurring at VA Palo Alto. After completion of the 6 month long pool based exercise, participants transition to ten sessions of cognitive training that will occur over 2 months at the VA Palo Alto.

Usual Care

This condition involves receipt of educational materials about brain health and healthy lifestyles as well as regular contact with study staff.

Primary outcome measure

  • Feasibility of Intervention Measure [ Time Frame: At the end of study completion, an average of 8 months ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Jennifer K Fairchild, PhD

(650) 439-5000JenniferKaci.Fairchild@va.gov

Locations

VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA

Recruiting

Palo Alto, California, United States, 94304-1207

Contacts

Jennifer K Fairchild, PhD

(650) 439-5000JenniferKaci.Fairchild@va.gov

Principal Investigator:

Jennifer Kaci Fairchild, PhD

More Information

Sponsor

VA Office of Research and Development

Last update posted

Jun 18, 2026

Last verified

Jun, 2026

Keywords

  • Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
  • Cognitive Training
  • Exercise
  • Veterans
  • Mental Fatigue

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by VA Office of Research and Development on 2026-06-18.