They may be suffering from:
- ● Impaired lung functions
- ● Acute muscle weakness and stiffness in the joints
- ● Prolonged periods of fatigue
- ● Decreased movement, agility and ability to do daily tasks
- ● Delirium (disturbed state of mind characterized by confusion, restlessness and incoherence) and other cognitive impairments (memory loss)
- ● Difficulty swallowing and communicating
- ● Mental health disorders and psychosocial support needs
Physiotherapy can play an important role in the rehabilitation of people who have been severely ill with COVID-19 in a hospital or other setting. These people are at risk of encountering (severe) limitations in physical, emotional, cognitive and/or social functioning.
Physiotherapists and mental health professionals are crucial in early and ongoing rehabilitation for people recovering from severe COVID-19.
They can help with:
- ● Early mobilisation and getting moving again
- ● Simple exercises
- ● Getting back to the activities of daily living
- ● Lung recovery
- ● Managing breathlessness
- ● Coping with fatigue
- ● Finding the balance between being active and taking rest
- ● Mood instability and anxiousness due to hospitalization
- ● Fears about the virus and being stigmatized due to hospitalization
It takes time to recover from a severe illness – a physiotherapist and a mental health professional will be able to guide you through the process and prioritise the goals that are important to you. They will work as part of multi-professional teams to support your needs.
A physiotherapist can help you with your ability to exercise, to incorporate physical activity and your return to daily life. A mental health professional can help you with unstable mood, anxiety and cognitive impairments due to COVID-19.