Publication details
Group Physiotherapy for Outpatients after COVID-19 in Department of Sport Medicine and Rehabilitation, St. Anne’s University Hospital
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2021 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Noninvasive methods in cardiology |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | https://is.muni.cz/do/med/noninvasive_methods_in_cardiology/Noninvasive_methods_in_cardiology_2021.pdf |
| Keywords | Rehabilitation; post-COVID; persistant symptomatology; respiration physiotherapy |
| Description | Present paper introduces novel protocol of group outpatient physiotherapy after COVID-19. Long-lasting symptoms are developed after COVID-19 in many patients. These symptoms don´t affect only physical health but also mental state. These symptoms include persistent respiratory distress, fatigue, impaired adaptation to movement and activity of daily living, physical and mental deconditioning, headache and joint pain etc. Recent literature highlights early rehabilitation in these patients as necessary. The paper aims to present a specific rehabilitation program of group physiotherapy for outpatients after COVID-19 disease at the rehabilitation clinic of the Department of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation of St. Anne´s University Hospital in Brno. The program is based on recommended rehabilitations´ standards for pulmonary rehabilitation in COVID-19 based on recent literature. It consists of 8 outpatients´ therapies twice a week. The therapy is conducted as a group, for 2-4 patients. We currently included 34 patients to participate in this program (age: mean 57 ± 13 SD, median 59 (min 29; max 82)). Group is heterogeneous, including patients with symptomatic condition, hospitalized and non-hospitalized subjects. Therefore, there are two physiotherapists in each group. Program focuses on persistent symptoms after disease of COVID-19. It aims on pulmonary rehabilitation, postural control in developmental position, proper sitting, endurance training, stretching and relaxation. An integral part is the motivation of patients to physical activity and support self-confidence. Patients undergo initial and final clinical examinations by medical doctor, spirometry examination, questionnaire survey of fatigue and subjective perception of health in lung diseases. During therapy, finger pulse oximetry, heart rate, subjective Borg scale of dyspnea, and subjective perception of fatigue are monitored regularly, always at the beginning, during, and in the end of the therapeutic unit. Patients are actively guided and motivated to self-therapy and continue their learned physical behavior even after the end of the program. Program is still ongoing, thus data are not statistically evaluated. But patients report improving their quality of life and pulmonary functions. |