Making a full recovery from COVID-19 doesn’t always end with a negative test result. After recovering from COVID, many people continue to struggle to return to their previous levels of activity and fitness. And for some, formerly simple tasks such as getting dressed, walking up a flight of stairs, or making it through a full day of work can be a challenge.
Our Physical Therapists can provide a range of therapeutic treatments to help you address your ongoing symptoms.
Lingering symptoms experienced by people struggling with long-term recovery from COVID-19 vary widely from person to person, as does our approach to treatment. Here are some of the most common symptoms we treat:
● Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
● Tiredness, fatigue or weakness
● Joint and muscle pain (back pain, chest pain, leg pain, etc.)
● Reduced range of motion in ribs, back or chest
● “Pins and needles” sensations
● Dizziness when standing
As with all of our treatments, we start with a complete assessment of your current physical condition and establish a personalized treatment plan of care to accomplish your goals, whatever they might be. There are three primary components to our treatment approach for post-COVID complications: exercise, task training and education.
Exercises for post-COVID recovery will focus on stretching, strengthening, range of motion/general mobility and endurance training, with specific exercises based on your condition and goals. We’ll monitor your vital signs including heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and rate of perceived exertion to help you recover, make progress and improve your overall activity level safely.
Task training will be based on the movements and actions you need to perform in order to get through your daily routine at home and work safely and comfortably. This may include basic skills such as lifting, carrying, pushing/pulling, being on your feet for extended periods, negotiating stairs, etc.
Education will include using the Rate of Perceived Exertion scale at home and at work, breathing techniques to maximize the amount of oxygen getting into your bloodstream to support your level of activity, pacing activities to avoid extreme fatigue or exhaustion, and helping you understanding what to do if your vital signs or post-COVID symptoms worsen.
Please note you should not seek treatment for at least 10 days after a positive COVID test. Do not meet in person with a Physical Therapist if you are experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, congestion/runny nose, sore throat, nausea or vomiting.
Our team is continually evaluating COVID-19 protocols as well as recommendations from the CDC, MDH, and other regulators and experts as they relate to our unique business to ensure our patients and staff members remain as healthy and as safe as possible. Please contact the Studio you plan to visit for details on their policies and protective measures.
