The Effectiveness of Telerehabilitation-Based Physiotherapy in COVID 19 Patients

Problems such as breathlessness, exercise intolerance and loss of peripheral muscle strength can be observed in individuals who have been diagnosed with COVID19 and have been discharged. In our study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of telerehabilitation physical therapy intervention to these cases by using videoconferencing method on the physical condition of the cases.

Problems such as breathlessness, exercise intolerance and loss of peripheral muscle strength can be observed in individuals who have been diagnosed with COVID19 and have been discharged. In our study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of telerehabilitation physical therapy intervention to these cases by using videoconferencing method on the physical condition of the cases. The exercise program will be a total of 6 weeks, 3 days a week. Online access will be carried out synchronously by telephone or computer, and training sessions will not be recorded in order to protect patient personal information. The cases will be evaluated online at the beginning of the study and at the end of the 6-week exercise program. The selected evaluation parameters have been selected considering the ease of online application.

Physiotherapy will be carried out by conducting online conference method. Program content; Respiratory exercise (chest breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, basal expansion exercises), Breath control training, Active breathing techniques cycle Light aerobic exercise Posture exercises Self walking

Program content Respiratory exercise (chest breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, basal expansion exercises), Breath control training, Active breathing techniques cycle Light aerobic exercise Posture exercises Self walking

The mMRC Dyspnea Scale is best used to establish baseline functional impairment due to dyspnea attributable to respiratory disease; tracking the mMRC over time or with therapeutic interventions is of less certain clinical utility.The severity of dyspnea is rated on a scale of 0 to 4. "O" means no dyspnea perception, "4" means severe dyspnea perception.

The Timed "Up and Go" (TUG) Test measures, in seconds, the time taken by an individual to stand up from a standard arm chair (approximate seat height of 46 cm, arm height 65 cm), walk a distance of 3 meters (approximately 10 feet), turn, walk back to the chair, and sit down. Normal healthy elderly usually complete the task in 10 seconds or less. Very frail or weak elderly with poor mobility may take 2 minutes or more. Clinical guide: <10 seconds = normal <20 seconds = good mobility, can go out alone, mobile without a gait aid <30 seconds = problems, cannot go outside alone, requires a gait aid A score of more than or equal to 14 seconds has been shown to indicate high risk of falls.

Visual analog scale to assess the pain on a horizontal, non-calibrated line of 100 mm, ranging from very low (0) to very high (100) score.

The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) is comprised of 3 tasks: a standing balance test (side by side, semi-tandem and tandem), a 4-m habitual gait speed, and 5 sit to stand from a chair. Each task is scored (based on time) from 0-4 points. The total score is 12 points and this represents the highest performance. It can be easily performed at home via video conferencing

Visual analog scale to assess the fatigue severity on a horizontal, non-calibrated line of 100 mm, ranging from very low (0) to very high (100) score.

This is a 21-item self-assessment scale designed by Aaron Beck in 1961 to measure the risk and level of depression.

The SGRQ ranges from 0 (no impairment of quality of life) to 100 (highest impairment of quality of life)

Inclusion Criteria: Being between the ages of 18-75 Being diagnosed with COVID19 and being discharged by being treated Having technological facilities suitable for telerehabilitation access Exclusion Criteria: Any presence of comorbidity that may prevent them from exercising Not agreeing to be included in the study

Pehlivan E, Palali I, Atan SG, Turan D, Cinarka H, Cetinkaya E. The effectiveness of POST-DISCHARGE telerehabilitation practices in COVID-19 patients: Tele-COVID study-randomized controlled trial. Ann Thorac Med. 2022 Apr-Jun;17(2):110-117. doi: 10.4103/atm.atm_543_21. Epub 2022 Apr 19.