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Objective. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has dominated the attention of health care systems globally since January 2020. Various health disciplines, including physical therapists, are still exploring the best way to manage this new disease. The role and involvement of physical therapists in the management of COVID-19 are not yet well defined and are limited in many hospitals. This article reports a physical therapy service specially commissioned by the Health Commission of Sichuan Province to manage COVID-19 during patients' stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu in China. Methods. Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were classified into 4 categories under a directive from the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China. Patients in the 'severe' and 'critical' categories were admitted to the ICU irrespective of mechanical ventilation was required. Between January 31, 2020, and March 8, 2020, a cohort of 16 patients was admitted to the ICU at the Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu. The median (minimum to maximum) hospital and ICU stays for these patients were 27 (11-46) and 15 (6-38) days, respectively. Medical management included antiviral, immunoregulation, and supportive treatment of associated comorbidities. Physical therapist interventions included body positioning, airway clearance techniques, oscillatory positive end-expiratory pressure, inspiratory muscle training, and mobility exercises. All patients had at least 1 comorbidity. Three of the 16 patients required mechanical ventilation and were excluded for outcome measures that required understanding of verbal instructions. In the remaining 13 patients, respiratory outcomes--including the Borg Dyspnea Scale, peak expiratory flow rate, Pao2/Fio2 ratio, maximal inspiratory pressure, strength outcomes, Medical Research Council Sum Score, and functional outcomes (including the Physical Function in Intensive Care Test score, De Morton Mobility Index, and Modified Barthel Index)--were measured on the first day the patient received the physical therapist intervention and at discharge. Results. At discharge from the ICU, while most outcome measures were near normal for the majority of the patients, 61% and 31% of these patients had peak expiratory flow rate and maximal inspiratory pressure, respectively, below 80% of the predicted value and 46% had De Morton Mobility Index values below the normative value. Conclusion. The respiratory and physical functions of some patients remained poor at ICU discharge, suggesting that long-term rehabilitation may be required for these patients. Impact. Our experience in the management of patients with COVID-19 has revealed that physical therapist intervention is safe and appears to be associated with an improvement in respiratory and physical function in patients with COVID-19 in the ICU. Keywords: COVID-19, ICU, Oscillatory Positive End-Expiratory Pressure, Maximal Inspiratory Pressure, Inspiratory Muscle Training, Physical Function, Introduction In December 2019, a novel coronavirus was identified and named severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2, the seventh type of human coronavirus discovered. The pneumonia caused by this virus was [...]

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has sounded alarm bells throughout global health systems. As of late May, 2020, over 100,000 COVID-19-related deaths were reported in the United States, which is the highest number of any country. This article describes COVID-19 as the next historical turning point in the physical therapy profession's growth and development. The profession has had over a 100-year tradition of responding to epidemics, including poliomyelitis; 2 world wars and geographical regions experiencing conflicts and natural disasters; and, the epidemic of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The evidence-based role of noninvasive interventions (nonpharmacological/nonsurgical) that hallmark physical therapist practice has emerged as being highly relevant today in addressing COVID-19 in 2 primary ways. First, despite some unique features, COVID-19 presents as acute respiratory distress syndrome in its severe acute stage. Acute respiratory distress syndrome is very familiar to physical therapists in intensive care units. Body positioning and mobilization, prescribed based on comprehensive assessments/examinations, counter the negative sequelae of recumbency and bedrest; augment gas exchange and reduce airway closure, deconditioning, and critical illness complications; and maximize long-term functional outcomes. Physical therapists have an indisputable role across the contiuum of COVID-19 care. Second, over 90% of individuals who die from COVID-19 have comorbidities, most notably cardiovascular disease, hypertension, chronic lung disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity. Physical therapists need to redouble their efforts to address NCDs by assessing patients for risk factors and manifestations and institute evidence-based health education (smoking cessation, whole-food plant-based nutrition, weight control, physical activity/exercise), and/or support patients' efforts when these are managed by other professionals. Effective health education is a core competency for addressing risk of death by COVID-19 as well as NCDs. COVID-19 is a wake-up call to the profession, an opportunity to assert its role throughout the COVID-19 care continuum, and augment public health initiatives by reducing the impact of the current pandemic., Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has sounded alarm bells throughout health systems around the world. In late May 2020, a milestone was [...]