Evaluating the effect of chest physiotherapy on cardiopulmonary parameters in hospitalized covid-19 patients

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, primarily affects the respiratory system, leading to hypoxemia, dyspnea, reduced exercise tolerance, and increased oxygen dependency. Chest physiotherapy has been recommended as an adjunct intervention; however, clinical evidence in hospitalized COVID-19 patients remains limited. Objective: To evaluate the effect of structured chest physiotherapy on cardiopulmonary signs and symptoms in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Methods: A pre–post interventional study was conducted on 41 COVID-19–positive patients (35–80 years) recruited through convenience sampling from a tertiary care hospital in Bhopal, India. Baseline and Day 14 assessments included heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂), oxygen supplementation requirement, cough characteristics, dyspnea (assessed using the American Thoracic Society dyspnea scale), and functional capacity measured by the 1-minute sit-to-stand (1STS) test. Patients received twice-daily, symptom-oriented chest physiotherapy sessions for 14 days. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (p < 0.05). Results: Significant improvements were observed in respiratory rate (p < 0.001), SpO₂ (p < 0.001), cough severity (p < 0.001), oxygen supplementation requirement (p < 0.001), dyspnea scores (p < 0.001), and 1STS repetitions (p < 0.001). No statistically significant change was found in heart rate (p = 0.716). Conclusion: Structured chest physiotherapy significantly improves respiratory parameters, reduces oxygen dependency, and enhances functional capacity in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. These findings support the integration of physiotherapy into multidisciplinary COVID-19 management protocols.