World Physiotherapy Day, marked annually on September 8, this year focused on Long Covid and physiotherapy, the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) said on Wednesday.
The Physiotherapy Department at HMC is currently at the frontline of providing services to recovering Covid-19 patients who have varied, and complex needs due to complications.
“We are recognising some of the effects of Long Covid symptoms as being really common, such as fatigue, breathlessness, and muscle weakness,” said Noora al-Mudahka, chief of physiotherapy at HMC.
“Long Covid is a multi-system disease; there are over 200 listed symptoms which occur in variable combinations and can fluctuate in both predictable and unpredictable patterns of flare-ups and remissions.”
“Long Covid has been preliminarily defined as the presence of signs and symptoms that develop during or following an infection consistent with Covid-19 which continue for 12 weeks or more. Typically, it is referred to as acute Covid-19 until four weeks and ongoing Covid-19 from four to 12 weeks,” she said.
The World Health Organisation recommends that Long Covid rehabilitation should include educating people about resuming everyday activities conservatively, at an appropriate pace that is safe and manageable for energy levels within the limits of current symptoms, and exertion should not be pushed to the point of fatigue or worsening of symptoms.
“An individualised multidimensional exercise programme facilitates in reducing the symptoms and improving patient’s strength and endurance," al-Mudahka explained.
“Physiotherapists work in a multitude of clinical settings, from working with our youngest patients to patients in intensive care units, to supporting patients of long-term care rehabilitation facilities and in the community. Our team includes specialties such as orthopaedics, neurology, cardiorespiratory, paediatrics, women’s health, men’s health, geriatrics, oncology, community-based physiotherapy, and mental health,” she noted.
Across HMC’s designated Covid facilities more than 800 patients were treated by the physiotherapy team, in order to help them breathe better and move early.
In the beginning of 2021, the Department launched an online exercise video portal for the referred patients which now hosts more than 700 instructional exercise videos enabling them to continue their recovery outside a clinical setting.
“We are recognising some of the effects of Long Covid symptoms as being really common, such as fatigue, breathlessness, and muscle weakness,” said Noora al-Mudahka, chief of physiotherapy at HMC.
“Long Covid is a multi-system disease; there are over 200 listed symptoms which occur in variable combinations and can fluctuate in both predictable and unpredictable patterns of flare-ups and remissions.”
“Long Covid has been preliminarily defined as the presence of signs and symptoms that develop during or following an infection consistent with Covid-19 which continue for 12 weeks or more. Typically, it is referred to as acute Covid-19 until four weeks and ongoing Covid-19 from four to 12 weeks,” she said.
The World Health Organisation recommends that Long Covid rehabilitation should include educating people about resuming everyday activities conservatively, at an appropriate pace that is safe and manageable for energy levels within the limits of current symptoms, and exertion should not be pushed to the point of fatigue or worsening of symptoms.
“An individualised multidimensional exercise programme facilitates in reducing the symptoms and improving patient’s strength and endurance," al-Mudahka explained.
“Physiotherapists work in a multitude of clinical settings, from working with our youngest patients to patients in intensive care units, to supporting patients of long-term care rehabilitation facilities and in the community. Our team includes specialties such as orthopaedics, neurology, cardiorespiratory, paediatrics, women’s health, men’s health, geriatrics, oncology, community-based physiotherapy, and mental health,” she noted.
Across HMC’s designated Covid facilities more than 800 patients were treated by the physiotherapy team, in order to help them breathe better and move early.
In the beginning of 2021, the Department launched an online exercise video portal for the referred patients which now hosts more than 700 instructional exercise videos enabling them to continue their recovery outside a clinical setting.