Lessons From Myalgic Encephalomyelitis for Long COVID
Presented by Todd E. Davenport
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Nonfinancial: Todd Davenport serves as a scientific advisor to the Workwell Foundation and is education cochair of Long COVID Physio.
Long COVID is an emerging challenge to individual patients, to society, and to rehabilitation clinicians because it is difficult to recognize and manage effectively. Certain subtypes of long COVID resemble another condition, myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), which also commonly results after a systemic infection. Insights from the clinical management of ME may be used to guide initial recognition of long COVID.
This course presents an overview of important symptomatic and functional similarities between ME and long COVID, as well as a model for clinical management of long COVID based on our collective understanding of ME. Insights from people living with long COVID are provided to include patients’ perspectives as a prominent part of the course material.
Meet your instructor
Todd E. Davenport
Todd serves as professor and vice-chair of the Department of Physical Therapy in the School of Health Sciences at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, where he teaches in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. Todd is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s DPT and Orthopedic Physical…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Case Definitions
Currently, there are no definitive medical tests to diagnose long COVID, so clinicians identify it based on case definition criteria. This course reviews the case definition criteria for long COVID, as well as relevant overlap between case definition criteria for long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).
2. Clinical Characteristics of Postexertional Symptom Exacerbation
Timely and effective recognition of postexertional symptom exacerbation (PESE) is critical to develop effective intervention plans. This course discusses the unique symptoms and signs of PESE, including time, course, and duration.
3. The Physiology of Postexertional Symptom Exacerbation
PESE involves a whole host of abnormal symptoms and signs in response to exercise and exertion, specifically compared to people who are deconditioned. This course describes the physiology that underlies the abnormal symptoms and signs of PESE. Content from this course forms the biological rationale for strategies to manage PESE.