The pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID) 19 provoked many health problems in all countries, including Bulgaria. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) includes symptoms with diverse levels of severity of different systems: respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, etc.
All these symptoms altered the quality of life of patients. In every clinical case, rehabilitation is needed – during or after the acute stage, and in cases of sequelae of severe and critical forms of COVID: respiratory alterations, cognitive and neurological disorders; deconditioning; critical illness-related myopathy and neuropathy; dysphagia; joint stiffness and pain; psychiatric problems.
Many acute and chronic neurological issues were considered as consequences of COVID-19: ischaemic stroke, inflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders (encephalomyelitis, leucoencephalitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome and chronic demyelinating polyneuropathy, relapses of Multiple sclerosis, Parkinsonism; cognitive impairment, post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), Memory, attention and sleep problems; Brain fog, Post-traumatic stress syndrome, Depression and Anxiety.
Neurological manifestations of coronavirus are considered a public health emergency of international concern.
Physical and Rehabilitation medicine (PRM) may be useful for functional recovery and amelioration of autonomy in activities of daily living (ADL).
Elements of the PRM algorithm or neurorehabilitation (NR) algorithm include: kinesitherapy (KT: exercises, massage), preformed physical modalities (electric currents, magnetic field, light), ergotherapy (ET: activities of daily living), thermo/balneo/peloido-therapy (paraffin, mineral waters, therapeutic mud, fango), patient education (medicaments, physical activity, diet, control of risk factors).
Ultimately, contemporary information and communication technologies (ICT) were introduced in the rehabilitation practice. We use Exoskeletons, virtual reality, robotic rehabilitation with Locomat (Hocoma system for balance and gait training) and ThyroMotion system (for grasp training). We consider introduction of robotics as necessary tool in the process of neurorehabilitation.
