Physiotherapy interventions in post- and long-COVID-19: a scoping review of the literature up to February 2023.

BACKGROUND: Physiotherapy is an accepted and recommended treatment for post- and long-COVID-19 condition. It is assumed that physiotherapists reported a lack of information on physiotherapy interventions and treatment parameters. This scoping review provides an overview of the evidence on physiotherapy interventions published in the scientific literature. METHODS: The scoping review includes studies analysing physiotherapy treatment parameters and interventions in post- and long-COVID patients. Studies focusing on telemedicine or exclusively home-based workouts are excluded. A systematic literature search was conducted by two independent researchers in the databases PubMed, EBSCO, SCOPUS, Web of Science, EMBASE, PEDro, Cochrane, and WISO. Following the abstract screening process, data extraction and critical assessment were performed. RESULTS: In this scoping review, 6 studies were included, providing information physiotherapy management of post- and long-COVID-19. The research identified respiratory therapy, aerobic training or strength training as key areas of focus. CONCLUSION: This scoping review highlights the need for further studies on physiotherapy treatment in post- and long-COVID condition. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework (Registry number osf.io/5k3tA).