Impact of Integrated Physiotherapy and Medical Management on Functional Recovery in Post-COVID-19 Patients in Pakistan: A Multicenter Cohort Study
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Post-COVID-19 syndrome has emerged as a major global health challenge, characterized by persistent respiratory, physical, and psychosocial impairments long after acute infection. In Pakistan, limited data exist on the effectiveness of structured rehabilitation combining physiotherapy and medical management to optimize recovery outcomes among post-COVID-19 survivors.
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the impact of integrated physiotherapy and medical management on functional and respiratory recovery in post-COVID-19 patients across tertiary care centers in Pakistan.
METHODS:
A prospective multicenter cohort study was conducted from April to December 2022 across Jinnah Hospital Lahore, Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi, and PIMS Islamabad. A total of 210 post-COVID-19 patients were enrolled and divided into integrated care (n=102) and standard care (n=96) groups. Functional capacity (6MWT), pulmonary function (FVC, FEV₁), independence (FIM), dyspnea (mMRC), and quality of life (SF-36) were assessed at baseline and after eight weeks. Data were analyzed using SPSS v26 with t-tests and ANCOVA for normally distributed data, maintaining a significance level of p<0.05.
RESULTS:
Integrated rehabilitation produced significant improvements in functional and respiratory outcomes compared to standard care. Mean 6MWT increased from 420 ± 63 m to 498 ± 54 m (p<0.001), FVC improved from 2.61 ± 0.55 L to 3.12 ± 0.56 L (p=0.011), and FEV₁ rose from 2.32 ± 0.46 L to 2.83 ± 0.49 L (p=0.014). FIM and SF-36 scores improved significantly (p<0.001), while dyspnea scores decreased notably. No intervention-related adverse events were reported.
CONCLUSION:
Integrated physiotherapy and medical management significantly enhance post-COVID-19 recovery by improving functional independence, pulmonary function, and quality of life. These findings advocate for the incorporation of multidisciplinary rehabilitation as a standard component of post-COVID-19 care in Pakistan.
Keywords: Activities of Daily Living, COVID-19 Rehabilitation, Functional Recovery, Long COVID, Physiotherapy, Pulmonary Function, Quality of Life.
