You won't want to miss the next installment in the APTA Lecture Series — a two-part exploration of what you need to know about treating long COVID, both as part of a multidisciplinary team and as a solo practitioner. With the event set for Oct. 28-29, you still have time to prepare by catching up with some of the latest research on the topic as published in PTJ: Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal, the association's scientific journal that's available for free to APTA members.

Here are four articles (and heads-up on a fifth) that are worth checking out:

Chronic Fatigue and Postexertional Malaise in People Living With Long COVID: An Observational Study
The level of fatigue and postexertional malaise, or PEM, can vary among individuals with long COVID, as can its impact on health-related quality of life, making it crucial for providers to carefully monitor these parameters. This survey-based study of 213 individuals helps to identify the particular characteristics of fatigue and PEM in the context of long COVID.

Persistent Exertional Dyspnea and Perceived Exercise Intolerance After Mild COVID-19: A Critical Role for Breathing Dysregulation?
This study of 21 patients who reported severe disability in physical functioning focuses on the role that breathing dysregulation may play in their perceived exercise intolerance — and the possibility for breathing relaxation strategies and rebreathing therapy to help address the issue. 

Physical Therapy Management of an Individual With Post-COVID Syndrome: A Case Report
Researchers track the progress of a 37-year-old woman with long COVID in this case study involving biweekly physical therapy sessions conducted over an eight-week period. While muscle strength, physical function, and exercise capacity improved, the patient's qualify of life and posttraumatic stress disorder scores remained unchanged. Authors suggest that "physical therapists should consider cognitive function and emotional health in their plan of care for patients with post-COVID syndromes."

Development of a Novel Care Rehabilitation Pathway for Post-COVID Conditions (Long COVID) in a Provincial Health System in Alberta, Canada
This article explores the development of what eventually became Canada's Provincial Post COVID-19 Rehabilitation Response Framework, a three-pathway protocol that touches on in-hospital, continuing, and community-based care for individuals with post-COVID rehab needs, including those with long COVID.

(Be on the lookout for new research coming soon to the PTJ advance access page: Impaired Neuromuscular Efficiency and Symptom-Limited Aerobic Exercise Capacity 4 Weeks After Recovery From COVID-19 Appear to be Associated With Disease Severity at Onset.)