Exercise and breathing in rehabilitating long COVID

The aftermath of COVID-19 has left many people still struggling with symptoms such as breathlessness and fatigue. Therefore, the post-COVID era will surely involve much consideration and research into the most effective ways to rehabilitate individuals with long COVID back to good health.

In exploring what effective rehabilitation would look like, Cheng et al (2021) recommend a comprehensive programme encompassing the promotion of functional recovery, as they note that this has been ignored by much of the guidance. They gathered together specialists for an online expert panel review, including members of the Taiwan Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. The panel sought to agree on recommendations for rehabilitation protocols for the five stages. These were written in relation to the following groups (Cheng et al, 2021):

While acknowledging existing medications to support care, the authors highlight rehabilitation as being a key adjunct to this, with the need for clear guidance to be made available to any individual who is caring for someone at any of the above stages.