The Impact of Comprehensive Rehabilitation on the Exercise Capacity of Patients after COVID-19

HIGHLIGHTS: What are the main findings? The comprehensive post-COVID-19 rehabilitation program is an effective intervention that improves the results of the 6-minute walk test. Comprehensive rehabilitation after COVID-19 treatment in stationary conditions increases physical capacity. What is the implication of the main finding? Patients after COVID-19 treatment can benefit from comprehensive rehabilitation. Comprehensive rehabilitation in patients after COVID-19 treatment reduces perceived fatigue after exercise. ABSTRACT: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a complex disease that affects multiple body systems, including the respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, and muscular systems. It is estimated that approximately half of the patients after the treatment for COVID-19 experience persistent symptoms that lead to a decreased physical capacity. Scientific recommendations suggest that cardiovascular and respiratory rehabilitation programs should be implemented in patients who have completed treatment for COVID-19. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of comprehensive rehabilitation on the exercise capacity of patients after COVID-19 treatment. The study included 146 patients after the treatment for COVID-19 who were eligible for therapeutic rehabilitation. The exercise capacity was assessed using the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). The results showed that patients who underwent rehabilitation had an average increase of 23.83% in their 6MWT score compared to the baseline. A comprehensive rehabilitation program including breathing exercises, aerobic training, and strength and endurance exercises is an effective intervention that can improve the physical capacity of patients after COVID-19 treatment.