THE ROLES OF CHEST PHYSIOTHERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH COVID-19

Abstract

Background: The high rate of mortality among critically ill patients with COVID-19 mainly due to complications associated with acute respiratory failure urgently calls for effective therapeutic strategies to improve ventilation and alleviate the condition. While chest physiotherapy management techniques improve ventilation and help to keep the bloodoxygen saturation high enough to prevent acute respiratory failure and death, there are limited reports on their utilization in the management of patients with COVID-19. Objective: To highlight the roles of chest physiotherapy in the management of patients with COVID-19. Review: A review of COVID-19 pneumonia and the roles of some chest physiotherapy techniques for the alleviation of its clinical manifestations was done. Conclusion: The clinical manifestations of COVID-19 which are largely respiratory have solutions rooted in very many of the techniques that Cardiopulmonary physiotherapists use in managing respiratory conditions. Therefore, chest physiotherapy is an important adjunct therapy in the management of patients with COVID-19.

Keywords

• covid-19
• chest physiotherapy
• patients