{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:40:27Z","timestamp":1760060427818,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,22]],"date-time":"2025-08-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1755820800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"JSPS KAKENHI","award":["24K20546"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["24K20546"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions had negative effects on cardiac rehabilitation. The difference in the location of cardiac rehabilitation practice during the COVID-19 pandemic decreased the amount of aerobic exercise and the patient\u2019s physical function at discharge. Therefore, we introduced a mini-ergometer to the ward to provide quantitative aerobic exercise. This study aimed to evaluate physical function at discharge after the introduction of a mini-ergometer to the ward in patients with heart failure. Methods: We included a total of 117 consecutive patients who were admitted to a university hospital and underwent a cardiac rehabilitation program for heart failure between June 2020 and September 2022. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A (n = 54), which included those admitted before the introduction of the mini-ergometer, and Group B (n = 63), which included those admitted after the introduction of the mini-ergometer. Data, including age, sex, and functional status, were obtained. Additionally, the duration of each rehabilitation exercise was measured. Results: Group B had a significantly higher 6 min walking distance at discharge than Group A (Group A: 236.0 m vs. Group B: 290.0 m, p = 0.020). Furthermore, Group B had a significantly longer ergometer exercise duration than Group A (Group A: 0 min vs. Group B: 25.0 min, p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: The results showed that the introduction of the mini-ergometer to the ward could ensure quantitative exercise loads even under restricted access to rehabilitation centers during the COVID-19 outbreak, thereby improving physical function at discharge in patients with heart failure.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14175922","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,22]],"date-time":"2025-08-22T11:50:31Z","timestamp":1755863431000},"page":"5922","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Effect of Introducing a Mini-Ergometer to the Ward Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic-Imposed Restrictions on Rehabilitation Centers on Physical Function: Cardiac Rehabilitation of Patients with Heart Failure"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3030-203X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Etsuko","family":"Mori","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation, Fujita Health University Bantane Hospital, Nagoya 454-8509, Aichi, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4348-0123","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hideki","family":"Ishii","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University, Maebashi 371-8511, Gunma, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0997-4501","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hirotaka","family":"Matsuura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Aichi, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yuji","family":"Kono","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation, Fujita Health University Hospital, Toyoake 470-1192, Aichi, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0544-325X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yoichiro","family":"Aoyagi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Aichi, Japan"},{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rio","family":"Shimizu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation, Fujita Health University Bantane Hospital, Nagoya 454-8509, Aichi, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tomoyasu","family":"Hiratsuka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation, Fujita Health University Bantane Hospital, Nagoya 454-8509, Aichi, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0767-3780","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yoshihiro","family":"Sobue","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Fujita Health University Bantane Hospital, Nagoya 454-8509, Aichi, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2375-2323","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eiichi","family":"Watanabe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Fujita Health University Bantane Hospital, Nagoya 454-8509, Aichi, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9472-0081","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hitoshi","family":"Kagaya","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Aichi, Japan"},{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu 474-8511, Aichi, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"857","DOI":"10.1161\/01.CIR.94.4.857","article-title":"Statement on exercise: Benefits and recommendations for physical activity programs for all Americans. 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