World Physiotherapy Response to COVID-19 Briefing Paper 9. Safe rehabilitation approaches for people living with Long COVID: physical activity and exercise.

June 2021. World Physiotherapy. London, UK: World Physiotherapy.

Background: Safe and effective rehabilitation is a fundamental part of recovery from illness and can improve function in people living with disability. Currently insufficient evidence exists to guide best practice for safe and effective rehabilitation in people living with Long COVID.

Conclusion: This paper presents considerations for safe rehabilitation specific to physical activity, including exercise or sport, for people living with Long COVID. The statements presented may be used by physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals assessing and treating people living with Long COVID, to consider how post-exertional symptom exacerbation, cardiac impairment, exertional oxygen desaturation, and autonomic nervous system dysfunction impact on safe prescription of rehabilitation, including physical activity.

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