Physiotherapy interventions facilitating recovery in COVID-19 patient on immunosuppressive therapy and with multiple comorbidities: a case report

Abstract

<p class="abstract">The global pandemic of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has increasingly emerged as a multisystem infection with a wide spectrum of patient presentation, clinical severity and eventual outcomes. Physiotherapy treatment is pivotal to combat the consequences of the viral infection assisting timely functional recovery. Early intervention, routine assessments and tailormade rehabilitation programs aid in the comprehensive management of the patient and reduce further debilitating long COVID sequelae. This case report describes the course of a COVID-19 patient admitted in a COVID dedicated ICU, on immunosuppressive therapy and with multiple comorbidities, receiving daily physiotherapy treatment from admission to discharge. The change in the functional status was assessed using various outcome measures namely single breath count, breath holding time, Medical Research Council sum score, 30 sec sit to stand, timed up and go and 6 min walk test demonstrating a positive effect of physiotherapy interventions in facilitating recovery in the patient. </p>