Chest Physical Exercise in COVID-19 Patients: A Review Article

The current global pandemic of COVID-19 has brought the entire world to a standstill, causing illness, death and changing individual roles. The most common causes of morbidity and mortality in these patients include pneumonia and respiratory failure, requiring the patient to undergo artificial ventilation and other techniques that can improve respiratory function. One such technique is thoracic physiotherapy, and has been shown to improve gas exchange, reverse disease progression, and reduce or avoid the need for artificial ventilation when very well provided. early in other respiratory conditions. For patients with COVID-19, there is little evidence of its effects, especially in the acute phase and in patients on mechanical ventilation. In contrast, in post-hospital discharge patients, thoracic physiotherapy in the form of respiratory muscle training, cough exercises, diaphragmatic exercises, stretching exercises, and home exercises improved FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC%, pulmonary diffusivity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), endurance and quality of life, as well as reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, there is still controversy about the ability of thoracic physiotherapy to disperse aerosols and accelerate the spread of infection, especially since COVID19 is highly contagious.