Since the beginning of the pandemic nearly 400,000 people in the Masovian Voivodeship have been diagnosed with COVID-19. According to experts, convalescents struggle with at least one symptom of long COVID for weeks or even months after infection. This problem may concern even a quarter of convalescents from the Masovian Voivodeship. Until 15 December 2021, they can take advantage of the free post-COVID physiotherapy programme funded by the voivodeship, which is carried out, among others, by medical facilities operating in fitness clubs without doctor’s referral.
The current scientific reports indicate the occurrence of many bothersome symptoms after COVID-19 infection, both among people who have been hospitalised as well as those sick at home. These symptoms include acute and chronic shortness of breath, decreased exercise tolerance, mood disorders or anxiety. One of the ailments that patients experience the longest is chronic fatigue.
Masovian post-COVID physiotherapy programme
A new post-COVID physiotherapy programme, financed from the voivodship budget, has been launched in the Mazowieckie Voivodship. It is available in ten fitness clubs with Zdrofit Zdrowe Miejsce treatment facilities. The free physiotherapy programme is addressed to adults with complications from COVID-19 infection that have lasted for at least four weeks.
People applying for the programme must present a document confirming the previous infection. It may be a positive antigen test (RT-PCR), a discharge from hospital, a certificate issued by a doctor or other medical documentation indicating that someone had COVID-19. Post-COVID physiotherapy provided by the Office of the Marshal of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship in Warsaw (mazovia.pl) will be available until 15 December 2021 and the qualification of patients who report directly to Zdrofit Zdrowe Miejsce facilities will be carried out by physiotherapists. Participation in the programme does not require a referral from a specialist.
Physiotherapy in a fitness club?
Exercise plays an extremely important role in recovery from COVID-19 infection. – We have known for a long time that physical activity promotes the regeneration of the body and improves its condition. Exercise is a form of therapy. Today we use it to reduce ailments related to long COVID – emphasises Andrzej Kępczyński, physiotherapist and physiotherapy expert at Zdrofit Zdrowe Miejsce. This is also confirmed by the latest research conducted in the UK by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre. The authors of the study concluded that physical activity significantly improved exercise capacity and general wellbeing among patients with post-COVID syndrome. Exercise also had a positive effect on reducing fatigue. As part of the study, patients engaged in physical activity twice a week for a month and a half.
– Exercises with popular sports equipment available in almost every fitness club are very helpful in rehabilitation and physiotherapy, including post-COVID therapy. We can use them to control the intensity of physical activity and its duration while observing vital parameters such as pulse. Of course, the equipment alone is not enough. Physical activity after COVID-19, particularly during long COVID, should be undertaken under the supervision of physiotherapists who have knowledge and experience in designing individual rehabilitation programmes tailored to patients’ ailments and health possibilities. Such support can be provided to Zdrofit Zdrowe Miejsce patients who, by visiting well-known fitness clubs, receive specialist help – emphasises Andrzej Kępczyński.
Experts emphasise that the use of fitness infrastructure in physiotherapy and post-COVID physiotherapy programmes increases the availability of this type of service.
– So far, post-COVID rehabilitation in the Mazowieckie Voivodeship under the National Health Fund was carried out by only 18 facilities, including only four in Warsaw. As part of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship programme, Warsaw residents have gained another 17 facilities, ten of which are Zdrofit Zdrowe Miejsce facilities which use fitness clubs’ infrastructure. Considering that according to the World Health Organisation one in four patients is struggling with post-COVID syndrome, increasing the availability of rehabilitation and physiotherapy for convalescents is very much needed. It is also good to see that the facilities that use sports infrastructure participate in such programmes – adds Tomasz Groń, Managing Director at Benefit Systems Fitness Unit responsible for Zdrofit, Fabryka Formy and Fitness Academy fitness club networks as well as Zdrofit Zdrowe Miejsce facilities.
As part of the programme offered by the Office of the Marshal of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship in Warsaw, every patient can use up to 18 sessions of physiotherapy free of charge.
A full list of Zdrofit Zdrowe Miejsce facilities participating in the Masovian Voivodeship rehabilitation programme can be found at https://zdrofitzdrowemiejsce.pl/.
Zdrofit Zdrowe Miejsce are treatment facilities that provide medical services in physioprophylaxis and kinesiotherapy (movement improvement), aimed at improving health and psychophysical condition of patients. Behind the idea of Zdrofit Zdrowe Miejsce is Benefit Systems Fitness Unit, which manages Zdrofit, My Fitness Place and Fitness Academy fitness club networks.