5.4. Rehabilitation after COVID-19

 
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The current state of medical knowledge concerning the course of COVID-19 indicates that after having undergone a disease associated with COVID-19 many people require a long period of rehabilitation to reach complete recovery.

 

In people who have suffered from the disease, it is possible to notice:

   general weakness of the body
 
   breathing problems
 
   weakness of muscle strength
 
   reduced chest mobility
 
   shallow breath
 
   reduced efficiency of the organism
 
   lack of strength
 
   increased tiredness during physical activity
 

And in more severe cases even:

   problems moving around the house
 
   lack of balance and coordination
 

All of these effects are most often caused by:

   lack of the ability to leave home
 
   a sedentary lifestyle throughout the quarantine
 
   lack of the equipment for physical activity at home
 
   reduced lung performance due to the disease
 
   reduced oxygenation of the body
 
   disease-related stress
 
 
As indicated by the experts, one of the key elements in preventing these problems is proper rehabilitation after a disease associated with COVID-19. If you notice any of the above symptoms in the elderly person you are looking after, consult thedoctorforthe recommendations as to the further treatment.

The World Health Organization has developed a special guide called “Support for Rehabilitation: Self-Management after COVID-19 Related Illness.” The publication provides advice on what to do when concerning symptoms that hinder functioning appear after a COVID-19 related disease, and what exercises should be performed by a person who has undergone COVID-19 and a hospital treatment.

The publication describes rehabilitation exercises which are possible to be done autonomously at home: from warm-up, through fitness exercises, to strengthening and relaxation exercises. With the use of pictures, the authors of the publication also present how to deal with shortness of breath and what positions of the body should be assumed to regulate breathing.

The publication also provides advice on food and liquids intake as well as on swallowing, especially for those who were artificially ventilated using an intubation tube during their hospital treatment. These people may have difficulty swallowing solid foods and liquids, as a result of weakening of the muscles responsible for swallowing.

The publication will also show you how to deal with difficulties in maintaining concentration, memory, logical thinking, stress and daily activities.
 



Remember that the rehabilitation after a disease associated with COVID-19, especially in the case of the elderly, should be carried out in a conscious and careful way, and it should be conducted in close consultation with a doctor.


 
The basis of the professional rehabilitation afterCovid-19 involves general exercises conducted individually, preferably by a physiotherapist. It makes it possible to modify the rehabilitation program and to adapt it to the person. The type and the intensity of the exercises are determined after a medical and physiotherapeutic examination. An important element of the rehabilitation after COVID-19 is respiratory gymnastics, in which the person learns how to breathe properly. For people who complain aboutosteoaerticular pain or complications related to their limbs it is necessary to implement physical therapy procedures. Therapists also prepare various activities that improve memory and concentration. Systematic implementation of the recommendations indicated above makes a full recovery possible.
 
 
 
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