Evidence-based position paper on physical and rehabilitation medicine professional practice for persons with COVID-19, including post COVID-19 condition: the European PRM position (UEMS PRM Section).
Maria G Ceravolo, Fahim Anwar, Elisa Andrenelli and 5 others
PMID 38214046WHAT IT FOUND
Therapists should join interdisciplinary teams led by PRM physicians for all COVID-19 and post-COVID patients with functional limits.
Care requires early, tailored interventions like swallowing and breathing training, with follow-up for at least three months in children and twelve months in adults.
Key findings
01The PRM physician leads an interdisciplinary team that includes physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapists to manage patients with post-COVID conditions.
02Specific rehabilitation interventions recommended include swallowing assessment and training, respiratory muscle training, and telerehabilitation focused on aerobic and resistance exercises.
03Comprehensive clinical and functional monitoring is recommended for a minimum of 12 months for adults and 3 months for children with moderate-severe COVID-19.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The recommendations are based on a systematic review that included all types of studies due to poor availability of high-quality research, meaning many recommendations rely on low-quality evidence. The paper does not report patient outcomes or effect sizes; it describes expert consensus on professional practice rather than testing the efficacy of specific interventions. The strength of evidence was graded as low (IV) for many of the most critical recommendations, such as the general role of the PRM physician and specific assessment protocols.
Declared interests
The paper was developed by the Professional Practice Committee of the Union of European Medical Specialists (UEMS) PRM Section. No specific funding sources or individual financial conflicts of interest are disclosed in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these recommendations as evidence that specific interventions like telerehabilitation or swallowing training have proven efficacy in controlled trials. The guidelines reflect expert consensus on professional roles and processes, not tested clinical outcomes, and many recommendations are supported by low-quality evidence.