Citation:

Priti Nathani , 2025. "Home-Based Rehabilitation Post-COVID-19: A Review of Protocols, Clinical Outcomes, and Lessons Learned.", ESP Journal of Engineering & Technology Advancements  5(3): 18-24.

Abstract:

The domain of rehabilitation has changed so much, even with the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the high rate of long-term physical, respiratory, and cognitive impairment after SARS-CoV-2 infection, home-based rehabilitation has proved to be an essential alternative to the often-limiting brick-and-mortar rehabilitation. The rationale for home-based rehabilitation in the post-COVID context is reviewed in this review, along with core clinical protocols including physical therapy, respiratory training, and cognitive rehabilitation. Further, such interventions are also explored in regard to their clinical effectiveness, where outpatient, functional outcomes, pulmonary recovery, and improvements in mental health and quality of life are considered. Digital health technologies (i.e., telemedicine, mobile applications, wearable sensors, AI-driven analytics) are identified as key technologies in enabling remote rehabilitation. Also, the review discusses present hurdles in patient selection, digital access disparity, adherence, and the regulatory framework. Based on the evidence presented in high-impact journals, the paper ends with lessons learned and future directions for holistically integrating home-based rehabilitation as a standard, permanent fixture of the post-acute care continuum.

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Keywords:

Cognitive Rehabilitation; COVID-19; Home-Based Rehabilitation; Long COVID; Physical Therapy; Post-Acute Care; Pulmonary Recovery; Telerehabilitation.