Breathe deep, crawl and walk for Covid recovery

New Delhi: Johns Hopkins Medicine Rehabilitation Network has prescribed a phased rehabilitation program for Covid patients to help them return to their way of life and enjoy full health.

As Covid-19 attacks the body and mind — Johns Hopkins Medicine said rehabilitation efforts aim to restore the whole person, helping you return to your previous quality of life.

Common impairments of Covid-19 include weakness, fatigue and shortness of breath with activity, and difficulty with walking and performing daily tasks.

"When you experience these physical impairments, it can lead to stress, which negatively effects the mind. Fear and depression can both impact the health of the body. Early intervention through exercise and activity aimed at treating the whole person will play an important role in the recovery process and can be started at home during self-isolation," it said.

The solution is to start moving. Movement heals the body and is a way to restore the mind and soothe emotions. By engaging in movements that the human body is already used to, we can begin the process of recovery and healing with exercises and movements. There are five layers of human movement that repair and optimize the whole person's health in body and mind, Johns Hopkins said.

The five layers are human movement are -- Breathe Deep, breathe deeply, filling the lungs up from the bottom to the top.

*Turn on vestibular system. The vestibular system controls balance and sensory input from the body and is turned on by moving our head and eyes.

*Cross your body-Engage in crossbody patterns such as crawling, marching or walking.

*Build Strength-Increase muscle strength.

*Gain endurance-Increase tolerance for physical activity and movement

"Our movement patterns develop during childhood and throughout our lifetime. Movement patterns depend on the body systems to work well. Exercises that strengthen the entire person will help the body to repair and recover.

According to the Johns Hopkins, the exercises address these body systems:

Cardiopulmonary (heart and lungs)

Neuro-vestibular (balance and coordination)

Musculoskeletal (muscles and joints)

Mental/cognitive (brain and thinking). Johns Hopkins Medicine Rehabilitation Network has prescribed a phased rehabilitation program for Covid patients to help them return to their way of life and enjoy full health.