Long Covid & Physiotherapy
What is long COVID?
Long COVID is quite common, occuring in over 10% of COVID infections and affecting an estimated 65 million individuals worldwide. For some people, when they become unwell with COVID, a range of different processes occur in the immune system and nervous system that lead to ongoing symptoms and illness. It is a condition that affects multiple organs and systems in the body, with over 200 potential symptoms. It can also be related to developing other conditions such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and POTS.
Who is at risk?
Anyone can develop long COVID, but the most common risk factors are:
More severe illness during the acute COVID-19 infection, including number of symptoms and need for hospitalisation
Being 35-69 years old
Being female or AFAB
Having pre-existing chronic conditions
What are the symptoms?
Long COVID may present differently in each individual, but some of the most common symptoms include:
Fatigue
Respiratory symptoms e.g. shortness of breath, cough
Headache
Dizziness
Lightheadedness
Joint or muscle pain
Chest pain
Heart palpitations
Digestive symptoms
Changes in smell or taste
Brain fog
Memory, concentration or sleep problems
Lung pathology, such as lung fibrosis
How can physiotherapy help?
It is helpful to have a team of different health professionals as part of your management. Depending on your specific symptoms this might include a respiratory specialist, dietitian, psychologist, cardiologist, GP and many others.
Physiotherapists can play an important role in:
Understanding your symptoms, triggers and patterns
Managing fatigue and pacing your energy
Advice and planning around return to activity, work and exercise
Managing pain
Exercise for strengthening
Exercise to rehabilitate the cardiovascular system
Techniques to regulate the autonomic nervous system
Learn more about our physiotherapy services here.
References
Davis, H.E., McCorkell, L., Vogel, J.M. et al. Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations. Nat Rev Microbiol 21, 133–146 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-022-00846-2
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2022) Long COVID in Australia – a review of the literature, catalogue number PHE 318, AIHW, Australian Government.
Australian Physiotherapy Association (2024). https://australian.physio/inmotion/role-physio-long-covid