{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T03:23:24Z","timestamp":1790652204032,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,30]],"date-time":"2022-05-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1653868800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Rehabilit. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causal agent of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a pandemic disease declared in 2020. The clinical manifestations of this pathology are heterogeneous including fever, cough, dyspnea, anosmia, headache, fatigue, taste dysfunction, among others. Survivors of COVID-19 have demonstrated several persistent symptoms derived from its multisystemic physiopathology. These symptoms can be fatigue, dyspnea, chest pain, dry and productive cough, respiratory insufficiency, and psychoemotional disturbance. To reduce and recover from the post-COVID-19 sequelae is fundamental an early and multifactorial medical treatment. Integral post-COVID-19 physiotherapy is a tool to reduce dyspnea, improve lung capacity, decrease psychoemotional alterations, as well as increase the muscle strength affected by this disease. Thus, the aim of this study was to establish a novel physiotherapeutic plan for post-COVID-19 patients, evaluating the effect of this treatment in the reduction of the sequelae in terms of lung capacity, cardio-respiratory, and muscular strength improvements. This was a cross-sectional study in which a protocol of 12 sessions in 4 weeks of physiotherapy was implemented in the patients enrolled. We conducted a medical assessment, an interview, a DASS-21 test, a spirometry, a 6-min walk test, and a hand dynamometer test to evaluate the post-COVID condition of patients before and after the sessions. A total of 42 patients participated in the program. Results of this work showed a decrease of around 50% of post-COVID-19 sequelae and an improvement in the psychoemotional status of patients. Also, we observed an increase of 7.16% in the FEV1 value and 7.56% for FVC. In addition, the maximal functional capacity increased by 0.577 METs, the 6-min walk test performance increased by 13%, and the SpO2 improved by 1.40%. Finally, the handgrip strength test showed an improvement in the left hand and right hand of 2.90 and 2.24 Kg, respectively. We developed this study to propose a novel methodology to provide information for a better treatment and management of post-COVID-19 patients.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fresc.2022.907603","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,1]],"date-time":"2022-06-01T06:10:39Z","timestamp":1654063839000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":17,"title":["A Physiotherapy Treatment Plan for Post-COVID-19 Patients That Improves the FEV1, FVC, and 6-Min Walk Values, and Reduces the Sequelae in 12 Sessions"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"3","author":[{"given":"Silvia Denise","family":"Ponce-Campos","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Juan Manuel","family":"D\u00edaz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daniela","family":"Moreno-Agundis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ana Laura","family":"Gonz\u00e1lez-Delgado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paulina","family":"Andrade-Lozano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francisco Javier","family":"Avelar-Gonz\u00e1lez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eduardo","family":"Hern\u00e1ndez-Cuellar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fernando","family":"Torres-Flores","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"735922","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2021.735922","article-title":"COVID-19 Lung Pathogenesis in SARS-CoV-2 Autopsy Cases","volume":"12","author":"Valdebenito","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Immunol."},{"key":"B2","unstructured":"915World Health Organization Publications.2021"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5913","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm10245913","article-title":"A systematic review of persistent symptoms and residual abnormal functioning following acute COVID-19: ongoing symptomatic phase vs. post-COVID-19 syndrome","volume":"10","author":"Jennings","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Clin Med."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"194","DOI":"10.1038\/s41590-021-01104-y","article-title":"Pathological sequelae of long-haul COVID","volume":"23","author":"Mehandru","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nat Immunol."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1595","DOI":"10.1097\/CM9.0000000000000848","article-title":"Recommendations for respiratory rehabilitation in adults with coronavirus disease 2019","volume":"133","author":"Zhao","year":"2020","journal-title":"Chin Med J."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"545","DOI":"10.1589\/jpts.32.545","article-title":"Summary of respiratory rehabilitation and physical therapy guidelines for patients with COVID-19 based on recommendations of World Confederation for Physical Therapy and National Association of Physical Therapy","volume":"32","author":"Zhu","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Phys Ther Sci."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"237","DOI":"10.1097\/01.HCR.0000281770.82652.cb","article-title":"Efficacy of pursed-lips breathing","volume":"27","author":"Nield","year":"2007","journal-title":"J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev."},{"key":"B8","volume-title":"Fundamentos de fisioterapia respiratoria y ventilaci\u00f3n mec\u00e1nica","author":"Cristancho","year":"2015"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-12-824473-9.00008-2","article-title":"Physiotherapeutic management for patients with Covid-19","volume":"19","author":"Craciun","year":"","journal-title":"Biomed Eng Tools Manage Patients COVID"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"949","DOI":"10.1136\/bjsports-2020-102596","article-title":"The Stanford Hall consensus statement for post-COVID-19 rehabilitation","volume":"54","author":"Barker-Davies","year":"2020","journal-title":"Br J Sports Med."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"030006052094838","DOI":"10.1177\/0300060520948382","article-title":"Rehabilitation of patients post-COVID-19 infection: a literature review","volume":"48","author":"Demeco","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Int Med Res."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"633","DOI":"10.23736\/S1973-9087.20.06339-X","article-title":"Early rehabilitation in post-acute COVID-19 patients: data from an Italian COVID-19 Rehabilitation Unit and proposal of a treatment protocol","volume":"56","author":"Curci","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eur J Phys Rehabil Med."},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"239","DOI":"10.1002\/pmrj.12669","article-title":"Providing rehabilitation to patients recovering from COVID-19: a scoping review","volume":"14","author":"Wasilewski","year":"2021","journal-title":"PM R."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0254523","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0254523","article-title":"Burden of post-COVID-19 syndrome and implications for healthcare service planning: a population-based cohort study","volume":"16","author":"Menges","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS ONE."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"113347","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2020.113347","article-title":"Prevalence of posttraumatic and general psychological stress during COVID-19: a rapid review and meta-analysis","volume":"292","author":"Cooke","year":"2020","journal-title":"Psychiatry Res."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"340","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18010340","article-title":"The impact of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak on the psychological flexibility and behaviour of cancelling medical appointments of Italian patients with pre-existing medical condition: the \u201cImpACT-COVID-19 for Patients\u201d multi-centre observational study","volume":"18","author":"Deledda","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2753.2004.00492.x","article-title":"Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients admitted to medical departments","volume":"11","author":"Raveh","year":"2005","journal-title":"J Eval. Clin Pract."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103644","DOI":"10.1016\/j.resp.2021.103644","article-title":"Pulmonary function and functional capacity in COVID-19 survivors with persistent dyspnoea","volume":"288","author":"Cort\u00e9s-Telles","year":"2021","journal-title":"Respir Physiol Neurobiol."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101166","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ctcp.2020.101166","article-title":"Respiratory rehabilitation in elderly patients with COVID-19: a randomized controlled study","volume":"39","author":"Liu","year":"2020","journal-title":"Complement Ther Clin Pract."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"164","DOI":"10.35366\/NTS192J","article-title":"Prueba de caminata de seis minutos: recomendaciones y procedimientos","volume":"78","author":"Gochicoa-Rangel","year":"2019","journal-title":"NCT Neumol Cir T\u00f3rax."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rh.2018.09.001","article-title":"Correlaci\u00f3n entre prueba de marcha de 6 minutos y prueba de esfuerzo m\u00e1xima en pacientes con diabetes mellitus de tipo ii","volume":"53","author":"Ram\u00edrez Mel\u00e9ndez","year":"2019","journal-title":"Rehabilitaci\u00f3n."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1384","DOI":"10.1164\/ajrccm.158.5.9710086","article-title":"Reference equations for the six-minute walk-in healthy adults","volume":"158","author":"Enrigh","year":"1998","journal-title":"Am J Respir Crit Care Med."},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"256","DOI":"10.1378\/chest.119.1.256","article-title":"A qualitative systematic overview of the measurement properties of functional walk tests used in the cardiorespiratory domain","volume":"119","author":"Solway","year":"2001","journal-title":"Chest."},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"147","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-7020-4344-4.00008-0","article-title":"Cardiac rehabilitation","author":"Sanghvi","year":"2013","journal-title":"Tidys Physiotherapy."},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"660886","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2021.660886","article-title":"Screening for COVID-19 in older adults: pulse oximeter vs. temperature","volume":"8","author":"Van Son","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Med."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"111","DOI":"10.1164\/ajrccm.166.1.at1102","article-title":"ATS Statement Guidelines for the Six-Minute Walk Test","volume":"166","author":"ATS","year":"2002","journal-title":"Am J Respiratory Critical Care Med"},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1681","DOI":"10.2147\/CIA.S194543","article-title":"Grip strength: an indispensable biomarker for older adults","volume":"14","author":"Bohannon","year":"2019","journal-title":"Clin Interv Aging."},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"281","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0b013e318295d534","article-title":"Using heart rate to prescribe physical exercise during head-out water immersion","volume":"28","author":"Kruel","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Strength Cond Res."},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"884","DOI":"10.1111\/1744-9987.13628","article-title":"Predicting a target exercise heart rate that reflects the anaerobic threshold in nonbeta-blocked hemodialysis patients: The Karvonen and heart rate reserve formulas","volume":"25","author":"Yabe","year":"2021","journal-title":"Ther Apher Dial."},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"135","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clnu.2010.09.010","article-title":"Hand grip strength: outcome predictor and marker of nutritional status","volume":"30","author":"Norman","year":"2011","journal-title":"Clin Nutr."},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"559","DOI":"10.1080\/17476348.2019.1607301","article-title":"Advances in spirometry testing for lung function analysis","volume":"13","author":"Lopes","year":"2019","journal-title":"Expert Rev Respir Med."},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"540","DOI":"10.4097\/kjae.2015.68.6.540","article-title":"T test as a parametric statistic","volume":"68","author":"Kim","year":"2015","journal-title":"Korean J Anesthesiol."},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"8730","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18168730","article-title":"Post-COVID-19 rehabilitation: perception and experience of Austrian physiotherapists and physiotherapy students","volume":"18","author":"Scheiber","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health."},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"pzab098","DOI":"10.1093\/ptj\/pzab098","article-title":"Physical therapy management of an individual with Post-COVID syndrome: a case report","volume":"101","author":"Mayer","year":"2021","journal-title":"Phys Ther."},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"402","DOI":"10.1186\/s12888-020-02804-9","article-title":"Comparison of the severity of psychological distress among four groups of an Iranian population regarding COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"20","author":"Vahedian-Azimi","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Psychiatry."},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0249644","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0249644","article-title":"Post-COVID-19 syndrome among symptomatic COVID-19 patients: a prospective cohort study in a tertiary care center of Bangladesh","volume":"16","author":"Mahmud","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS ONE."},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"691609","DOI":"10.3389\/fcvm.2021.691609","article-title":"Pulmonary rehabilitation accelerates the recovery of pulmonary function in patients with COVID-19","volume":"8","author":"Zhu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Cardiovasc Med."},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"244","DOI":"10.1186\/s12879-022-07252-2","article-title":"Persistent cough and asthma-like symptoms post COVID-19 hospitalization in children","volume":"22","author":"Esmaeilzadeh","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Infect Dis."},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101079","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eclinm.2021.101079","article-title":"COVID-19 and the effects on pulmonary function following infection: a retrospective analysis","volume":"39","author":"Lewis","year":"2021","journal-title":"EClinicalMedicine."},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"837420","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2022.837420","article-title":"Effect of pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with Post-COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"9","author":"Chen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Med."},{"key":"B41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"54","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-323-04525-4.00007-1","article-title":"Exercise stress testing","author":"Boccalandro","year":"2010","journal-title":"Cardiol Secrets."},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"359","DOI":"10.7861\/clinmed.2020-0353","article-title":"Rehabilitation after COVID-19: an evidence-based approach","volume":"20","author":"Wade","year":"2020","journal-title":"Clin Med."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fresc.2022.907603\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,1]],"date-time":"2022-06-01T06:10:42Z","timestamp":1654063842000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fresc.2022.907603\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,30]]},"references-count":42,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fresc.2022.907603"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fresc.2022.907603","relation":{},"ISSN":["2673-6861"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2673-6861","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,30]]},"article-number":"907603"}}