Does Physiotherapy Help Long Covid Syndrome?

Long covid, that is, patients in whom the symptoms of covid infection last for more than four weeks, can be very complicated due to the variety of problems associated with the condition. There is increasing recognition of the importance of physiotherapists and occupational therapists in the treatment of people going through different stages of covid.

People still don't know all about long covid, but these experts can help people get back to their normal routines by offering exercise training, breathing techniques, and ways to safely manage fatigue.

Although why people develop long covid is not yet known, current evidence suggests that the coronavirus can trigger a persistent inflammatory and immune response in the body. As a result, symptoms appear in many of the body's systems, including the respiratory and autonomic systems that control functions such as heart rate, breathing, and digestion. This may explain the symptoms of long covid, such as brain fog, fatigue, headache, shortness of breath, and changes in taste and smell. Estimates suggest that 5 per cent to 50 per cent of patients infected with covid 19 may have long covid.

Allied health workers, who are not doctors, dentists, nurses, or midwives, but professionals providing specialised care such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy, may be particularly effective in managing the symptoms of long covid. One reason for this may be that they are used to working with patients towards functional goals. Physiotherapists generally suggest exercise training to people suffering from long covid.

Studies have found that exercise programs can help fight fatigue, muscle weakness, shortness of breath, and difficulty exercising in people with long covid. Pulmonary rehabilitation is an exercise and education program designed to help people with lung diseases, and is carried out under the supervision of a physiotherapist. Such programs have proved to be very effective for people with long covid.

However, not all exercise programs are suitable for all people with long covid. For patients suffering from severe fatigue, a graded exercise program that progresses through different levels may also be effective in improving fitness and reducing fatigue levels.