ONE in three people infected with Covid will suffer from unusual muscle pains, according to a new study.

Analysis of the COVID Symptom Study app which is run with the help of scientists from King’s College London has found an increasing number of people have reported aches and pains in their shoulders and legs.

The study has found Covid-related muscle pains can range from being mild to quite debilitating, especially when they occur alongside fatigue.

It adds that for some people, the pain stops them from doing day-to-day tasks. Muscle aches and pains are said to last for two to three days on average, but can be longer depending on age.

It is said to be an “early symptom” of coronavirus, often appearing at the start of illness.

The study into muscular pain found one in three people with Covid experience the symptom. It was found to be more common in adults aged 16-65 (41%) than children (15%) or those over the age of 65 (36%).

Only 2% of people who were ill with COVID-19 reported muscle pains as their only symptom.

The study adds: “Unusual muscle pains are most likely to occur alongside other symptoms.

“Across all ages, most of the time muscle pains happen alongside fatigue and sometimes with fever, feeling dizzy or light-headed and skipping meals.

“Other symptoms common alongside unusual muscle pains depend on age. For example, getting headaches with muscle pains is very common in people under 65.

“Loss of smell (anosmia) also tends to occur alongside unusual muscle pains in adults, but is less common in adults aged over 65.”

Experts do however warn that many people experience muscular pain and it should not be automatically assumed you have Covid.

Only coughing, fever and a lost sense of taste or smell are listed as official symptoms of coronavirus, but experts have been pushing for this to be extended to include other signs such as rashes and pains.

Anyone with concerns is asked to add their symptoms to the Zoe Covid Symptom Study app and get tested.