Rehabilitation setting during and after Covid-19: An overview on recommendations.
Francesco Agostini, Massimiliano Mangone, Pierangela Ruiu and 3 others
PMID 33284353WHAT IT FOUND
This review of 31 early pandemic papers produced no tested outcomes, only expert recommendations.
It advises telerehabilitation and strict PPE for speech and swallowing therapists, plus phased respiratory exercises for post-acute patients.
Key findings
01The review synthesized 31 articles to produce expert recommendations rather than testing clinical outcomes.
02Telerehabilitation was recommended as a first option to supervise rehabilitation without exposing staff or patients to the virus.
03High levels of personal protective equipment were specifically indicated for speech, swallowing, and chest therapists due to infection risk.
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 review included only 31 articles from a narrow four-month window at the start of the pandemic, limiting the breadth of evidence. Most included studies were expert opinions or descriptive reports rather than randomized controlled trials, so no treatment efficacy was proven. Long-term consequences of COVID-19 were unknown at the time of writing, so recommendations for post-acute care may not reflect later clinical realities. There were few objective data on rehabilitation needs, and the analysis relied heavily on previous research rather than new primary data.
Declared interests
No funding sources or conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these recommendations as evidence that specific exercises improve outcomes. The review synthesizes expert opinion and service organization strategies from early pandemic reports, not clinical trial results proving efficacy.