Lingering COVID Issues PT Can Help With

As the healthcare industry continues to grapple with the Coronavirus and all of the unique issues it presents, healthcare providers are now faced with a new challenge, assisting patients who have lingering symptoms or issues as a result of contracting COVID-19. Most individuals who have contracted COVID-19 have recovered within a couple of weeks, but there are individuals who have experienced long-term symptoms that persist for weeks or months even after the infection is no longer detectable which can be referred to as long COVID.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has noted that patients who had mild symptoms during their illness can still show signs of recurring symptoms or lingering COVID concerns. As researchers continue to seek answers for the foreseeable future, individuals who’ve contracted COVID still have a multitude of questions that need to be answered. Some of the most common questions that patients have include “What are the long-term symptoms?”, “What signs should I be looking out for?”, and “What can I do about the long-term issues and concerns?”.

Most Reported Long-Term COVID-19 Symptoms

According to the CDC, there are 12 long-term COVID-19 symptoms that one can experience after they’ve had COVID-19. Whether you’ve had a mild case or a severe case, some of the most common reported symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Joint Pain
• Chronic Fatigue
• Brain Fog
• Shortness of Breath
• Chronic Cough
• Depression
• Intermittent Fever
• Muscle Pain
• Chest Pain
• Heart Palpitations
• Sleep Issues

Preliminary research has shown that physical therapy does help patients overcome some of the respiratory problems² and complications that can result from COVID-19. While the research is ongoing and we await the results, there are steps that can be taken to tackle some of these long-term symptoms head-on. Physical activity has been shown to reduce the severity and adverse outcomes of COVID-19.

Why Physical Therapy Should Be Part of Your Post-COVID Recovery Plan

For those who are dealing with symptoms that can stem from contracting the coronavirus, physical therapy can help you with a comprehensive treatment program and rehabilitation process. Our physical therapists are experts in helping patients recover from respiratory illness and diseases, headaches, joint pain, fatigue, and muscle pain.

The comprehensive patient evaluation and functional assessment that a physical therapist will conduct is designed to identify what kind of lingering symptoms you might be experiencing from COVID and come up with a personalized treatment program to reduce some of the symptoms you’re experiencing and help you return to normal function.

There are several reasons why you should make physical therapy a priority in your post-COVID recovery plan including managing some of your symptoms, promoting recovery, rebuilding confidence in your ability to perform certain movements or exercises, and more.

Physical Therapy Can Help You Manage Symptoms

One of the benefits of incorporating physical therapy into your recovery program is that it will help you manage some of the symptoms you may be experiencing as a result of having contracted the coronavirus. Comprehensive physical therapy treatment programs can help patients manage and recover from many of the symptoms they experience including shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle strength loss, headaches, and joint pain through a combination of manual therapy, cardiovascular training, and functional training.

Our physical therapists will work with you to create a personalized plan of care that focuses on exercise, cardiovascular training, functional training, education, manual therapy, and strength-building activities.

Our physical therapists will complete a comprehensive evaluation and progression through care which will focus on helping patients through four different stages:

Stage 1

Evaluation of current status, baseline measures, and initiation of basic exercise program.

Stage 2

Expanded breathing exercises, aerobic conditioning, strengthening, and hands-on treatment to help improve cardio-respiratory function.

Stage 3

Progression to longer aerobic workouts, increased strengthening, and functional activities.

Stage 4

Return to activities such as work, play, sports/athletics, and hobbies with a focus on long-term adherence.

Treatment can also assist patients and help promote recovery for these common symptoms:

• Balance and stability
• Cardiopulmonary issues
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Decreased strength and endurance
• Functional mobility and activities of daily living issues
• Limited breathing capability
• Musculoskeletal pain or soreness
• Range of motion limitations

Physical Therapy Can Help Rebuild Confidence

Patients who experienced COVID-like symptoms are often faced with chronic fatigue that saps their motivation to be active. Many routine tasks now feel like daunting mountains to climb as patients struggle to perform many of the same physical activities, exercises, or tasks as they once did before contracting COVID.

For those patients who are struggling to get back into their normal routine or find it challenging to work up the motivation to begin working out again, physical therapy can help you rebuild your confidence in certain movements and physical activities during your rehabilitation program. Throughout the course of your personalized physical therapy treatment and rehabilitation program, your physical therapist can help you strengthen your muscles, improve your breathing techniques, and build confidence over time.

Book Your Next Appointment

We’re committed to helping patients overcome their long-term COVID symptoms, and we now offer multiple solutions for patients to get the physical therapy care they need. We offer our physical therapy services at hundreds of locations across the country and virtual physical therapy appointments as well. Whether you’d like to visit one of our in-person clinics or begin your PT journey virtually, Book an Appointment Today!

1. Robineau, Olivier, et al. “Long-Lasting Symptoms after an Acute COVID-19 Infection and Factors Associated with Their Resolution.” JAMA Network Open, vol. 5, no. 11, 9 Nov. 2022, p. e2240985, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.40985. Accessed 1 Dec. 2022.
2. Zhu, Yuetong, et al. “Summary of Respiratory Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy Guidelines for Patients with COVID-19 Based on Recommendations of World Confederation for Physical Therapy and National Association of Physical Therapy.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science, The Society of Physical Therapy Science, 8 Aug. 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7443542/.
3. Ratini, Melinda. “Coronavirus Recovery: Rate, Time, and Outlook.” WebMD, WebMD, 25 Jan. 2022, https://www.webmd.com/lung/covid-recovery-overview#1.
4. “Long Covid or Post-Covid Conditions.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Flong-term-effects.html.
5. Marshall, Michael. “The Lasting Misery of Coronavirus Long-Haulers.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 14 Sept. 2020, https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02598-6.
6. Ezzatvar, Yasmin, et al. “Physical Activity and Risk of Infection, Severity and Mortality of COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Non-Linear Dose–Response Meta-Analysis of Data from 1 853 610 Adults.” British Journal of Sports Medicine, BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine, 8 July 2022, https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2022/07/07/bjsports-2022-105733.