Physical Therapy Can Help With Recovery From COVID-19

Here at Zone Physical Therapy in Greer, SC we offer methods of treatment for patients recovering from COVID-19. As more research is done, it’s being discovered that there are several negative lasting effects from the virus, many of which are causing long term challenges with breathing that can continue for unprecedented amounts of time.

If you had COVID-19 and your breathing abilities are not what they used to be, physical therapy may benefit you. To learn more about what our clinic is doing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as well as treat patients suffering from painful side effects, contact our office in Greer, SC today.

Effects of COVID-19 on Breathing Abilities

The side effects of COVID-19 have been found to lead to a loss of function in many different areas of the body.

Hopkins Medicine states, “COVID-19 can cause lung complications such as pneumonia and, in the most severe cases, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS. Sepsis, another possible complication of COVID-19, can also cause lasting harm to the lungs and other organs.”

A few commonly experienced ones in regards to breathing are decreased heart and lung capacity. Difficulty breathing also causes neck, rib, and back pain.

The long term effects of COVID-19 on lung function is not yet known, but there is a risk of scarring in many individuals if lung function is not properly strengthened and restored.

How Can Physical Therapy Improve My Breathing?

Physical therapy can help improve lung capacity as a person recovers from the virus.

Therapy may also improve spine movement, function of the ribs and extremities to make breathing easier. The goal is to help restore physical function through gradual, slow exposure to cardiovascular exercise.

One of the ways a Zone Physical Therapy physical therapist can help improve your breathing is through diaphragmatic exercises. Diaphragmatic breathing is a form of intentional, deep “belly” breathing that restores lung function using the diaphragm.

It involves breathing through the nose, which helps to make the diaphragm stronger, and encourages the nervous system to relax and work on restoring itself.

Your Zone Physical Therapy physical therapist may employ a series of breathing exercises that require you to lie on your back or stomach as you perform them. Research explains why lying on the stomach works to increase oxygen levels, and states that some of the sickest COVID-19 patients have benefited from prone positioning. This is a maneuver that helps increase the amount of oxygen that’s getting to a person’s lungs.

When recovering from a respiratory illness such as COVID-19, it’s important to go slowly with deep breathing exercises until you know how much your lungs are capable of.

Let Us Help You; Call Our Clinic Today

COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the world as a whole, but rest assured that our clinic is doing everything we can to help our patients make the best recoveries possible.

Zone Physical Therapy’s physical therapists are experts in movement and regaining functional abilities and strength. To learn more about what we’re doing to help patients dealing with the lasting side effects of coronavirus, call our clinic today for an appointment.

Sources

• Johns Hopkins Medicine · Coronavirus recovery: breathing exercises
• New England Journal of Medicine