Health Resort Treatment Improves Functioning and Physical Performance in Long COVID Patients: A Retrospective Study

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Post-COVID Conditions
• Public Health

Background:

• Long COVID can cause persistent physical performance and functional status alterations.
• Health resort treatment involves balneology, exercises, physical medicine, and climate therapy.
• Sanatorium-based complex treatment may benefit patients with long COVID.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of health resort treatment in improving functional status, physical performance, and fatigue in long COVID patients.
• To evaluate changes in physical performance, functional status, and fatigue levels before and after treatment.
• To determine if health resort treatment is a suitable supplementary therapy for long COVID.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 116 long COVID patients (66 women, 50 men) undergoing health resort treatment.
• Data collected from medical records of patients treated in 2021 at a rehabilitation hospital and sanatorium in Poland.
• Functional status, physical performance, and fatigue assessed pre- and post-treatment.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements observed in physical performance (p < 0.00001) and functional status (p < 0.00001) post-treatment.
• A significant reduction in fatigue levels was noted after health resort intervention (p < 0.00001).
• Initial assessment indicated moderate fatigue and mild functional limitations, with largely undisturbed physical performance.

Conclusions:

• Health resort treatment effectively reduced fatigue and improved functional capacity and physical performance in long COVID patients.
• The complex nature of sanatorium treatment makes it a valuable supplement to standard care for persistent COVID-19 symptoms.
• This approach is recommended for patients experiencing long-term effects of COVID-19.