by Jessica Finley, DPT, OCS
Long COVID is a diagnosis given to a person with prolonged symptoms of COVID-19 that remain unresolved. Common symptoms include, but are not limited to: fatigue, muscle weakness, dyspnea, anxiety, depression, joint pain, sleep difficulty and dizziness. It’s expected that a person who was hospitalized with COVID-19 would be weak and deconditioned upon discharge. However, patients with long COVID symptoms are often not hospitalized (or short stay/non-intubated) and are often of a younger demographic (under 55 years old). Most patients treated for COVID in the outpatient setting pass pulmonary function tests and do not qualify for a Pulmonary Rehab Program. Therefore, outpatient Physical Therapy is an avenue that can help patients recover from these lingering symptoms.
At Evolution Physical Therapy, we have orthopedic specialists trained to help COVID “long-haulers” with common symptoms of muscle fatigue, pain and weakness. We also treat more specialized diagnosis including: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Vestibular Dysfunctions and Post Exercise Malaise Syndrome (chronic fatigue syndrome). Our physical therapists use valid and reliable objective measures to assess baseline performance and to compare throughout the patient’s program.
Give Evolution a call or click below to request an initial evaluation for long COVID. We can help get you on the road to symptom management and recovery.