Therapy Helps COVID-19 Patients’ Recover After ICU Stay

by | Jun 24, 2020 | Physical Therapy News + Info | 0 comments

therapist-helping-patient-walk-with-walker

Recovering from the COVID-19 virus can be a tiring process for many individuals. After what is likely a lengthy hospital stay, it is common for COVID-19 patients to experience functional deficits such as:

    • Weakness
    • Loss of balance
    • Decreased endurance and more.

But how can you get your body back to its usual physical and emotional state-of-mind? What many do not realize is that investing in physical, occupational and/or speech therapy after a lengthy hospital stay can help individuals return to their prior level of function.

Post Intensive Care Syndrome and COVID-19

At least half of all patients who survive treatment in an intensive care unit, such as people recovering from COVID-19, will experience at least one of a triad of problems associated with post-intensive care syndrome.1

Post–intensive care syndrome (PICS) is a collection of new or worsening impairments in physical, mental, or cognitive abilities or a combination of these in individuals who have survived critical illness requiring intensive care.2

Physical symptoms of PICS include:

    • Skeletal and respiratory muscle weakness.
    • Difficulty with walking and balance.
    • Impaired pulmonary function.
    • Problems taking care of themselves (dressing, bathing).
    • Problems managing medications, finances, and other tasks essential for independent living.
    • Challenges returning to work and driving.1
    • Mental health symptoms ranging from mild anxiety or irritability to severe depression, sleep disturbances, and post-traumatic stress disorder.1
    • Cognitive changes, including difficulty thinking, remembering, or concentrating; impairments in executive function and mental processing speed.1

Appropriate rehabilitation can help greatly in minimizing these functional deficits. Our team of therapists here at Community Sports and Therapy Center specialize in addressing these deficits to help individuals return to their healthy and active lifestyle – at an appropriate pace. What does this process look like? Our team will:

    • Perform individualized evaluations
    • Work one-on-one with patients to improve patient function.
    • Communicate proper rehabilitation needs to avoid long-term effects and keep you and your loved ones happy and healthy.

As always, our main focus is to get you healthy again – and keep you healthy.

Note – your normal care provider may not be aware of the functional deficits you are experiencing. It is your responsibility to bring these issues to their attention and let them know you are not pleased with how you are functioning. Please reach out to our staff and let us guide you, so you can avoid long term effects after leaving the ICU that could be prevented.

Additional Sanitation Methods Being Implemented

Our staff is continuously monitoring updates from the CDC related to COVID-19 and works hand-in-hand with the staff of Mercer Health and other healthcare providers to provide you with the safest care possible, while maintaining our history of quality service. We use the utmost precaution to protect the health of our staff and patients. This includes daily symptom-screening, providing therapy in private treatment rooms or in areas with adequate social distancing, and appropriate sanitization methods. This includes partaking in proper hand hygiene and diligent cleaning per protocol.

Our rehabilitation professionals will perform individualized evaluations to ensure maximum benefits in your areas of concern.

We are here to serve you with all three of our convenient locations that are now re-opened:

    • Coldwater, OH
    • Celina, OH
    • Fort Recovery, OH
If you or a loved one needs assistance returning to normal or you have any questions about how our team of experienced, licensed therapists can help you, call 419-678-OHIO or click here to contact us today.

Additional Resources / Citations:

  1. David J. Hill, How Physical Therapists Can Aid COVID-19 Patients’ Recovery After ICU. May 2020, http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2020/05/002.html
  2. Patricia J Ohtake, Alan C Lee, Jacqueline Coffey Scott, Rana S Hinman, Naeem A Ali, Carl R Hinkson, Dale M Needham, Lori Shutter, Helene Smith-Gabai, Mary C Spires, Alecia Thiele, Clareen Wiencek, James M Smith, Physical Impairments Associated With Post–Intensive Care Syndrome: Systematic Review Based on the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Framework, Physical Therapy, Volume 98, Issue 8, August 2018, Pages 631–645, https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzy059

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