Physiotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic in global terms – limitations, therapeutic challenges, remedial actions

Abstract

Introduction and Objective. The purpose of this text is to analyze the role of physiotherapy services during the COVID-19 pandemic from a global perspective, with particular emphasis on limitations, therapeutic challenges and implemented remedial actions in Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa and Australia. Material and methods. The research process was carried out using triangulation of research methods: qualitative descriptive analysis method, content analysis method and comparative method. As sources of empirical data, 20 reports of leading entities in the world were selected responsible for the functioning of the medical services sector, including physiotherapy. Results. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the provision of physiotherapy services on a global scale. The therapeutic challenges faced by this sub-sector were very similar around the world and conditioned by the nature and course of the COVID-19 disease. However, the differences in individual regions of the world that were identified at that time concerned restrictions that complicated the provision of physiotherapy services during the pandemic and remedial actions that were taken in response to changes caused by the state of the pandemic. Conclusions. Physiotherapy services during the pandemic have become one of the key dimensions of the effectiveness of treatment and recovery of patients with COVID-19. Countries on individual continents faced the pandemic in completely different starting conditions, and also required multi-track and multi-hierarchical implementation of countermeasures.