Written By: Andrew Morgan, PT, DPT, MBA, COS-C
Early in the COVID pandemic I remember speaking with a colleague who was asked to treat a COVID patient in the home health setting. My colleague was nervous and really did not understand the role that PTs and PTAs would play in assisting patients in their recovery from this devastating virus. In fact, the same colleague told me that treating low back pain just did not seem like a priority in someone recovering from COVID. I agreed that low back pain is probably not the priority, but I had to remind my colleague of our background in exercise science and more specifically cardiorespiratory physical therapy. I went on to explain that I believed (and still do) that PTs and PTAs are the most important health care professionals that patients recovering from COVID will see once they leave the hospital. Our expertise in adjusting and dosing exercise to a specific patient’s ability is what will ensure his or her full recovery and return to full premorbid status.
With October being National Physical Therapy Month, I want to say thank you to those that have answered and embraced the call placed on us by our patients. Thank you for putting your fears aside and joining the team of frontline healthcare heroes. THANK YOU!
Explore online continuing education courses from Andrew below:
Rehab for the Functional Aging Adult
Therapeutic Special Tests in the Geriatric Population
Evidence-Based Rehabilitation of the Total Knee Arthroplasty
Introductory Spanish for the Rehabilitation
OASIS-D Demystifying the M1800/GG Relationship