Are you feeling fatigue and anxiety while performing functional activities during Post COVID-19 recovery process?  If yes, then you need to gradually build up your strength by retraining your muscles and joints. This can be achieved by doing low-intensity exercises, which will help you to maximize your recovery process post-COVID-19. Through this blog, we will provide you with simple and easy home exercises that require less effort and less strength. The intensity can be gradually increased by increasing the speed and no. of repetitions per day.

 

Deep breathing exercises:

·         Starting with deep breathing exercises, these exercises play an important role in the recovery process. Breathing exercises not only help to increase lung capacity but also relieves stress and anxiety. The main aim is to build up the ability to breathe deeply during any activity or during rest. These exercises should be done on daily basis.

 

Shoulder circles:

·         Sit in a chair. Keep your hands on your shoulders and move in a circular motion forward and backward.

 

Shoulder shrugs: 

·         Sit in a relaxed position raise your shoulders bringing them near your ears and then down back to the starting position.

 

Knee lifts: 

·         In a standing position lift your knees up to the level of hips and bring them down slowly.

 

Knee straightening:

·         Sit in a chair with your feet together. Straighten one knee and hold your leg out straight for a moment, then slowly bring it back. Repeat with your other leg.

 

Ankle circles: 

·         In a standing position draw circles with your toes of your foot and then repeat with the other foot.

 

Ankle taps:

·         In a standing position, tap your toes and then your heel on the ground in front and then repeat with the other foot.

 

Heel raises:

·         Rest your hands on the back of a chair to take support for balancing, keeping your back straight. Slowly rise up onto your toes, and lower back down again.

 

Arm raises to the side:

·         In a standing or sitting position. Raise both arms by your side, up to your shoulder level, and slowly bring them back down.

·         Hold a weight in each hand, while your palms face inwards and repeat the same exercise.

 

Bicep curl:

·         In a sitting or standing position, hold a weight in each hand, bend the elbows. Gently lift the lower part of both arms, bringing the weights up.

·         With your arms by your side, holding a weight in each hand with your palms facing forward. Lift the arms up and bring them back down to the starting position.

 

Wall push-off:

·         Stand in front of the wall feet about a foot away from the wall. Place your palms of the hands, on the wall at shoulder level.

·         Bring your body slowly towards the wall by bending your elbows, then gently push away from the wall again, until your arms are straight.

 

Side bends: 

·         Stand straight with your arms by the sides. Slide one arm, then the other, towards the floor, bending sideways.

 

Step-ups:

·         Stand up straight with your feet wide apart. Stand close to the stepper or step of stairs.

·         Step up by bringing your one leg up on the stepper. Step up your other leg by bringing it on the stepper, so that both your feet are on the stepper.

·         Bring both the legs down and repeat.

 

Squats:

·         Stand with your back against a wall and your feet slightly apart. Rest your hands on the back of a chair. Slowly bend your knees while sliding your back down the wall. And then return back by sliding up the wall.

 

Walking:

·         Use a walking frame, crutches, or stick if needed.

·         Take a walk in a flat and spacious area as your body takes time to recover you may feel fatigued for a few weeks.

 

Do not exercise in case you feel fever, chills, shortness of breath, chest pain, sweating, or fluctuating vital signs.

This Blog was first posted at CB Physiotherapy