Post-COVID Rehab in Bangalore — Proven 12-Week Recovery for Long-COVID Fatigue & Breathlessness

Post-COVID rehab in Bangalore addresses one of the most under-recognised long-term legacies of the pandemic. Long-COVID — persisting symptoms beyond 12 weeks after the acute infection — affects an estimated 6–10% of Indians who had symptomatic COVID-19. Symptoms include debilitating fatigue, exercise intolerance (post-exertional malaise), breathlessness on mild exertion, brain fog, palpitations and sleep disruption. At Pro Physiotherapy JP Nagar, Dr J Mazumdar's team delivers a 12-week structured programme validated by the WHO Rehabilitation Manual (2022).

Structured pacing — not pushing through — is the cornerstone. Aggressive graded exercise in the acute long-COVID phase risks worsening post-exertional malaise. We instead use heart-rate-guided pacing, respiratory retraining, autonomic regulation, and gradual functional return. Most patients regain 80–90% of pre-COVID function by week 12; a minority need longer support.

Understanding Long-COVID — Mechanisms & Physiotherapy Role

Clinical Assessment on Day One

Baseline assessment includes: Post-COVID Functional Status Scale, 1-minute Sit-to-Stand test (surrogate for exercise tolerance), 6-minute walk test with pulse oximetry, DePaul Symptom Questionnaire (PEM screening), NASA lean test (for orthostatic intolerance), respiratory pattern analysis, and heart-rate variability (where available). We map the individual symptom cluster before designing the plan — cardiopulmonary-predominant, fatigue/PEM-predominant, or mixed.

Structured Treatment Timeline

Step-by-Step Rehabilitation Protocol

1. 1
   Pacing education (session 1)

   The "energy envelope" concept — activity + rest budgeting that prevents post-exertional crashes. Critical baseline skill.
2. 2
   Diaphragmatic breathing retraining

   Restores normal breathing pattern disrupted by weeks of shallow breathing. Powerfully reduces breathlessness and anxiety.
3. 3
   1-minute sit-to-stand + weekly re-measure

   Objective, quick tracker of cardiovascular deconditioning — motivating and objective.
4. 4
   Autonomic nervous system regulation

   Slow-nasal-breathing drills, cold-face immersion, vagus-nerve stimulation exercises — reduce palpitations and dizziness.
5. 5
   Heart-rate-guided exercise progression

   Exercise capped at 60% of maximum heart rate initially. Never push through PEM warning signs.
6. 6
   Sleep hygiene and circadian re-alignment

   Structured sleep-wake schedule, morning light exposure, screen curfew. Sleep quality is the single strongest predictor of long-COVID recovery speed.
7. 7
   Return-to-work pacing plan

   Written graduated return — often 2 hours/day for week 1, then 4 hours/day for week 2 — coordinated with your employer.
8. 8
   Cognitive pacing for brain fog

   Focused 25-minute work blocks, structured rest, and cognitive load monitoring — mirrors the pacing principles applied to physical activity.

Frequently Asked Questions