Physical therapy and rehabilitation for late post COVID-19 consequences

Bulgarian Medical Journal, 16, 2022, № 2, 34-39

G. Мratskova, H. Elkova

Department of Medical Rehabilitation and Ergotherapy, Physical Medicine and Sports, Medical Faculty, Trakia University – Stara Zagora
Medical Center “Hipokrat-N” – Plovdiv

Abstract. The outbreak and the rapid spread worldwide of COVID-19 has confronted the health professionals with the tasks to diagnose adequately the infection, to provide specialized medical care, rehabilitation, and secondary prevention. Currently, information on primary and secondary prevention and medical rehabilitation is insuﬃ cient. Although recommendations and speciﬁ c guidelines for rehabilitation are being developed, there is still a lack of consensus. The aim of this article is to present a clinical case of a patient with symptomatic lumbar spondylosis in the convalescent period after a history of moderate-severe COVID-19 pneumonia treated in a hospital ward. A complex rehabilitation program in an outpatient setting has been applied, including compresses with lye, combined with positional therapy, therapeutic exercises: breathing exercises, active exercises for the thoracolumbar region and lower limbs; magnetotherapy and interferential currents in trophic and analgesic parameters, 10 procedures each.

Key words: symptomatic lumbar spondylosis, post-COVID-19, Modiﬁ ed Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire, lye, magnetic ﬁ eld, interferential current, therapeutic exercises

Address for correspondence: Galina Mratskova, MD, Department of Medical Rehabilitation and Ergotherapy, Physical Medicine and Sports, Medical Faculty, Trakia University – Stara Zagora, 11 Armeyska St., Bg – 6000 Stara Zagora,
e-mail: doc_mratzkova@abv.bg