REHAB Hospital of the Pacific (REHAB) has launched the Pulmonary Recovery Circuit Program (PRCP), a wellness and rehabilitation program created to support people who are experiencing difficulty breathing, exercising, and doing daily activities after recovering from COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The PRCP is one of the first of its kind in the state and helps to address a growing need for respiratory illness care in Hawaii’s communities.
“As we’ve seen in the news, patients can continue to have long-term difficulties well after their recovery from COVID-19,” says Adrienne Yamamoto, staff physical therapist and PRCP lead at REHAB. “Our program is designed to ensure proper exercise progression, customized to each individual patient to maximize their recovery potential,” Yamamoto says.
According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19 can result in prolonged illness and persistent symptoms, even in young adults and persons with no underlying medical conditions who were not hospitalized. In the PRCP, participants work with licensed physical therapists and exercise specialists to learn how to conserve energy and control shortness of breath through progressive muscle relaxation techniques. They also do breathing and rehabilitation exercises and receive a customized home exercise program.
The team monitors the health and progress of their participants by keeping a log of participants’ lung sounds, oxygen flow rate, shortness of breath, and perceived exertion after physical activity. A pre- and post-evaluation may be done to show participants their improvements. These evaluations can be shared with their doctor upon request.
Classes are held twice a week in REHAB’s Wellness Gym at the Nuuanu campus for 10 to 12 total sessions. Classes can also be scheduled as needed. Approximately 10 to 12 sessions are recommended for maximum results, but participants are not limited to a number of sessions they can participate in. Contact the REHAB Wellness Team at 566-3762 to learn more or to register for the program.