Multicomponent Exercise Program to Improve the Immediate Sequelae of COVID-19: A Prospective Study with a Brief Report of 2-Year Follow-Up.

COVID-19 placed teams of professionals in a hostile and unfamiliar environment where the lack of knowledge of its pathology led to the adaptation of programs used so far for other conditions to try to address the immediate sequelae of COVID-19 infection. That is why the aim of this study was to assess the effects of a multicomponent exercise program (MEP) in improving cardio-respiratory performance, health status, disability due to dyspnea, aerobic capacity and endurance, and the immediate sequelae of COVID-19. Thirty-nine patients referred from different hospital services were included in this study. An intervention of seven weeks with sessions twice a week was carried out, where patients underwent intervallic training sessions followed by strengthening exercises and individualized respiratory physiotherapy exercises. The results of this study show a significant improvement in cardio-respiratory performance, health status, disability due to dyspnea, and aerobic capacity and endurance after intervention; and an increase in health status and reduction in disability due to dyspnea at the 2-year follow-up. In addition, none of the patients had any adverse effects either pre-post treatment or at the 2-year follow-up. Individualized and monitored MEP in survivors of COVID-19 showed positive effects in a pre-post evaluation and the 2-year follow up, improving the immediate sequelae of post-COVID-19 patients. This highlights the importance of the professional background of the rehabilitation teams in adapting to an unknown clinical environment.

Dolor musculoesquelético en supervivientes del COVID-19 tras la hospitalización: Una breve revision (Musculoskeletal pain related to COVID-19 survivors after hospitalization: A short review)

Objective: This review aimed to provide an update on the characterization and impact of musculoskeletal pain in COVID-19 survivors. Methods: It is considered articles on subjects who had been recovered from COVID-19 infection after hospitalization (COVID-19 survivors) with secondary musculoskeletal pain. Results: Six articles (one editorial, one consensus statement, one letter to the editor, one case-control study, one cohort study and one review) showed the polyhedral effects of the SARS-CoV-2 on musculoskeletal pain. This short review was not able to clearly identify what the pathogenesis of musculoskeletal pain was in COVID-19 survivors. Conclusion: Preliminary data showed that widespread pain similar to the pattern compatible with pain of musculoskeletal origin could characterize symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Alternate :Objetivo: Esta revisión tuvo como objetivo proporcionar una actualización sobre la caracterización y el impacto del dolor musculoesquelético en los supervivientes de COVID-19. Métodos: Se consideraron artículos sobre sujetos que se recuperaron de la infección por COVID-19 tras la hospitalización (supervivientes de COVID-19) con dolor musculoesquelético secundario. Resultados: Seis artículos (un editorial, una declaración de consenso, una carta al editor, un estudio de casos y controles, un estudio de cohortes y una revisión) mostraron los efectos poliédricos del SARS-CoV-2 sobre el dolor musculoesquelético. Esta breve revisión no pudo identificar claramente cuál era la patogénesis del dolor musculoesquelético en los supervivientes del COVID-19. Conclusión: Los datos preliminares mostraron que el dolor generalizado similar al patrón compatible con el dolor de origen musculoesquelético podría caracterizar los síntomas después de la infección por SARS-CoV-2.Alternate :Objetivo: Esta revisão teve como objetivo fornecer uma atualização sobre a caracterização e o impacto da dor musculoesquelética em sobreviventes de COVID-19. Métodos: São considerados artigos sobre sujeitos que se recuperaram da infecção por COVID-19 após internação (sobreviventes de COVID-19) com dor musculoesquelética secundária. Resultados: Seis artigos (um editorial, uma declaração de consenso, uma carta ao editor, um estudo de caso-controle, um estudo de coorte e uma revisão) mostraram os efeitos poliédricos do SARS-CoV-2 na dor musculoesquelética. Esta breve revisão não foi capaz de identificar claramente qual era a patogênese da dor musculoesquelética em sobreviventes de COVID-19. Conclusão: Dados preliminares mostraram que dor generalizada semelhante ao padrão compatível com dor de origem musculoesquelética pode caracterizar sintomas após infecção por SARS-CoV-2.

Spanish experience on the efficacy of airways clearance techniques in SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) at intensive care unit: An editorial and case report.

COVID-19 pandemic did not impact all countries in the same way, and in Spain, the percentage of intensive care unit (ICU) and the mortality rate patients has been very high. The present work aims to present the first case of the new Coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) on March 23, 2020, in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, of a patient on Invasive Mechanical Ventilation (IMV) affected by acute pneumonia which was treated by airway clearance techniques (ACT) thinking that she was not infected with COVID-19, since the first polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was negative. The subject presented septic shock, hypoxemic encephalopathy, and seizures. Right lung base consolidation and pleural effusion were visible in the echography. The thorax x-ray presented subcutaneous emphysema and pleural effusion in the right base and an alveolar-interstitial opacity pattern in the left. Bilateral crackles and rhonchus were evident in the right lung during the lung auscultation. The airway clearance protocol comprises Cough Assist (CA) and chest compressions. The variables collected were the ventilatory parameters, blood gas analysis, and thorax x-ray description. ACT protocol improves gas exchange and expands consolidated lung areas in this atypical clinical case presented. At that time, this type of treatment was not performed on patients affected by COVID-19, and the next day we found that the patient had improved, coinciding with the second PCR test, which was positive.

Effects of a Multicomponent Exercise Program on Improving Frailty in Post-COVID-19 Older Adults after Intensive Care Units: A Single-Group Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Older adult patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome present greater physical impairment accompanied by frailty than younger patients, which is why multicomponent exercise programs (MEP) are recommended for their positive effects on improving frailty and physical capacity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a short MEP (Vivifrail; <4 weeks) on improving frailty in post-COVID-19 older adults after intensive care units. METHODS: To develop a retrospective cohort study, data were collected from the functional gait training program based on selected Vivifrail MEP in a single-group and applied to patients admitted with a diagnosis of post-COVID-19 functional impairment. The MEP was carried out for 3 weeks, with daily sessions lasting 40 min. Patients included were assessed at the beginning and at the end of the protocol by using the Short Performance Physical Battery (SPPB), the number of falls in the last year, the number of falls with medical attention, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, the presence of dementia, the Trunk Control Test (TCT), the Tinetti balance and gait test, Barthel Index, Medical Research Council Sum Score (MRCSS) and handgrip strength dynamometry. RESULTS: The results of this study show statistically significant improvements in physical fitness and frailty with increases in the Short Physical Performance Battery (Z = 9.12, p < 0.001) by means of the MET applied in its short version (<4 weeks) showing even clinically relevant improvements (>2.5 points). Statistically significant improvements were also found in Medical Research Council Sum Score (Z = 12.345, p < 0.001), Barthel Index Score (Z = 12.272, p < 0.001), Trunk Control Test (Z = 12. 36, p < 0.001), Tinetti-POMA (Z = 12.293, p < 0.001) including the balance (Z = 12.11, p < 0.001), gait (Z = 12.164, p < 0.001) subscales and in the hand dynamometry (Z = 12.172, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The selected Vivifrail MEP is effective and safe for improving frailty in post-COVID-19 older adult's patients.

Reliability of Sonography Measures of the Lumbar Multifidus and Transversus Abdominis during Static and Dynamic Activities in Subjects with Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the test-retest reliability of ultrasound (US) thickness measurements and the muscle contraction ratio (CR) of lumbar multifidus (LM) and transversus abdominis (TA) muscles in participants with and without nonspecific chronic low back pain (NCLBP). METHODS: A total of 62 participants (37 with NCLBP, 25 without NCLBP) with participated in the study. The within-day and between-day reliability of US thickness measurements and CR in a lying (supine for TA and prone for LM) and sitting positions for both muscles (sitting on a gym ball with both feet on the ground or lifting one foot off the floor) were assessed. Reliability analysis was performed with intraclass correlations (ICCs) for these two static and dynamic positions. RESULTS: Test-retest reliability was calculated to be good to high for the static position (ICC = 0.72-0.95) and the dynamic position (ICC = 0.74-0.94) sonographic measurements in both group of TA measurement. Test-retest reliability of LM measurements was good to high for the static position (ICC = 0.82-0.95) and the dynamic position (ICC = 0.85-0.97) sonographic measurements in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: US imaging is a highly reliable method for the assessment of TA and LM thickness muscles in the dynamic position in participants with and without NCLBP. The CR measures may be adequately reliable in assessing the function of the TA and LM muscles in participants with NCLBP and healthy ones.

COVID-19 Pandemic: A Physiotherapy Update

Physiotherapists have an essential role in the recovery of patients who require hospital care and/or in intensive care units. However, so far, there is little discussion in literature about the interventions by physiotherapists together with multidisciplinary teams in hospital units that receive COVID-19 patients. In this perspective article, we discuss the role and importance of physiotherapy in the management of COVID-19 cases with focus on patients admitted to hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Electronic Journal of General Medicine is the property of Modestum Publications and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Feasibility and Efficacy of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program in a Rehabilitation Center: CASE REPORT OF A YOUNG PATIENT DEVELOPING SEVERE COVID-19 ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME.

DETAILS OF THE CLINICAL CASE: A 51-yr-old man underwent a respiratory rehabilitation program (RRP), after being tracheostomized and ventilated due to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) from coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection. Respiratory care, early mobilization, and neuromuscular electrical stimulation were started in the ad hoc isolation ward of our rehabilitation center. At baseline, muscle function was consistent with intensive care unit-acquired weakness and the patient still needed mechanical ventilation (MV) and oxygen support. During the first week of RRP in isolation, the patient was successfully weaned from MV, the tracheal cannula was removed, and the walking capacity was recovered. At the end of the RRP, continued in a standard department, respiratory muscles strength increased by 7% and muscle function improved as indicated by the quadriceps size enlargement of 13% and the change of the Medical Research Council sum score from 48/60 to 58/60. DISCUSSION: Providing RRP in patients with severe COVID-19 ARDS involves risks for operators and organizational difficulties, especially in rehabilitation centers; nevertheless, its continuity is important to prevent the development of permanent disabilities in previously healthy subjects. Limited to the experience of only one patient, we were able to carry out a safe RRP during the COVID-19 pandemic, promoting the complete functional recovery of a COVID-19 young patient. SUMMARY: Most patients who develop serious consequences of COVID-19 infection risk a reduction in their quality of life. However, by organizing and directing specialized resources, subacute rehabilitation facilities could ensure the continuity of the RRPs even during the COVID-19 pandemic.