What are the Roles of Physiotherapists in containing the spread of COVID-19?.

Have you seen or heard of a Physiotherapist before?

If No, let me tell you a bit about a Physiotherapist.

A physiotherapist is a health care professional who helps with a patient’s movement, breathing, body function, and healing with the goal of increasing the patient's well-being.

This professional also treats illnesses affecting children and the elderly. In the United States, a physiotherapist is also known as a physical therapist. And physiotherapy has different specialties which include; Cardiopulmonary, Neurology, Geriatric, Orthopedic, and many others.

Here is a picture of some amazing Physiotherapists I know.

Lately, there has been news of the COVID-19 Second Wave.

Have you heard about it?

During this Second Wave, Physiotherapists play important roles for their patients by:

• wearing the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE)

- This includes hand gloves, face shields, and respiratory protective equipment (RPE). These protect both physiotherapists and the patients during treatment for the COVID-19 symptoms.

• treating acute and chronic respiratory conditions.

- A productive cough that brings out sputum indicates a need for a physiotherapist in the event that this patient cannot clear the mucous by themself.

• treating patients with ICU-acquired weakness.

- Patients who are admitted to the ICU and stay for a period of time are at high risk of ICU-acquired weakness. This is a complication brought about by an increased stay in the ICU and artificially breathing for a long time.

This weakness presents with neuromuscular and functional impairments in the individual. And requires immediate physiotherapy for rapid functional recovery.

• providing exercise and rehabilitation interventions.

- This ensures that patients get back to performing their activities of daily living (ADL) which could be some, most or all of them.

• treating elderly patients, and patients with comorbidities.

- Physiotherapists treat patients who present with significant functional limitations. These patients are frail people like the elderly and people with comorbidities (that is, the presence of more than one disorder) who have a problem moving independently.

An example of a person with comorbidities is a person with diabetes and hypertension.

• providing airway clearance for the patients.

- Physiotherapists help in clearing the airway of patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19 or pneumonia. This happens when mucous or sputum or foreign particles are clogged in their airways.

• educating their patients.

- Physiotherapists inform their patients of the need to:

o properly wash their hands,

o  avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth,

o  practice good coughing and sneezing etiquettes, and

o  maintain good social distancing from others.

So now, you know who a physiotherapist is, and what they do in curbing the spread of COVID-19. You also have a role to play irrespective of your profession or career by ensuring that you:

o  wash your hands,

o  always carry a hand sanitizer with you,

o  wear your face mask properly when you leave home,

o  maintain social distancing in public places, and

o  tell others around you about wearing their masks, and maintaining social distancing.

“Beating the COVID-19 Pandemic isn’t up to only the medical professionals.

You can protect yourself and others by doing the right thing!”