Chest therapy and breathing exercise in COVID-19 patient: a case report

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has several clinical manifestations from asymptomatic to critical condition. Shortness of breath is one of the hallmark symptoms of COVID-19 infection. The main medical management for shortness of breath in COVID-19 infection is oxygen therapy. Physiotherapy and medical rehabilitation such as breathing exercise and chest physiotherapy can be adjuvant therapy that effectively improves breathing effort in COVID-19 patients. This case report will describe breathing exercises and chest therapy done in a patient with a COVID-19 infection.Case: In this study, we presented the case of a 53-year-old female patient with complaints of fever, cough, fatigue, anosmia, shortness of breath, and diagnosis with confirmed COVID-19 infection based on swab PCR result. On admission in the isolation ward, the patient was on non-invasive ventilation (NIV), medical medication, and physical therapy. The physical therapy done in this patient was breathing exercise and chest therapy once daily. After four series of chest therapy and breathing exercise, the shortness of breath and her breathing effort was improved. The patient was discharged after 15 days of hospitalization.Conclusion: This case shows the utility of chest therapy and breathing exercise as a physical rehabilitation treatment for the COVID-19 patient. This physical therapy helps to maximize lung expansion and improve the patient's breathing effort.

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