The Pathway of Recovery Comparing Long Covid and Injuries

When we get sick or injured, we generally have a sense for what we need to do to get better and what the recovery process looks like in terms of things we need to do, medical support and timelines. However, with Long Covid and other post-viral conditions, these steps don’t work and the recovery pathway can seem unclear for millions affected. In this article, we’ll explore what is effective, what makes post-viral recovery paths different from others and why a different approach is needed.

Medical professionals, and our own experience, mean we know how to support recovery from a large range of injuries and ailments. For example, historically, colds took a week or two to clear and recovery involved rest, healthy and hearty food, lots of hydration and sometimes over the counter medicine to ease congestion. With a broken bone, doctors can tell you with a reasonable degree of accuracy that it takes about 6 weeks for the bone to repair. You get an x-ray, clinical professionals put you into a cast or brace and give you some pain killers, you try not to use the broken limb until the bone has a chance to repair and knit together, then you gradually start to use it again building back strength and stamina. Once the bone is healed, therapy focuses on restoring movement, strength, and flexibility in the affected area, following a structured plan for progressive improvement.    

Chances are you have been through this type of recovery yourself, or know someone who followed a protocol to help them recover and bounce back as quickly as possible.

We often expect the same recovery pattern to apply to Long Covid, but this template doesn’t offer the tools and support our body needs to heal. With Long Covid, ME/CFS and post-viral conditions, time may not be enough for our body to heal, and if we do experience an easing of symptoms over time this usually covers a timeframe of months rather than the days or weeks that we may expect from other illnesses. When we try to rely on typical recovery processes or rest, and then introduce progressive activity, it leads to an up and down cycle of feeling better only to crash - and see no clear improvement trajectory. It can be hard to accept that a different approach to recovery is needed, or to even know what that alternative recovery pathway looks like. This can be especially true for someone who wasn’t terribly ill during a COVID-19 infection and has generally been healthy.

Whether recovering from an injury or managing Long Covid, it’s important to remember that recovery is a marathon, not a sprint.

At one point in his career Roger Federer was taking a break from the pro tennis circuit because he was recovering from surgery. Professional coaches and physiotherapists criticized his timeline, saying that he could have come back sooner if he wanted. His reply to this was simple and perfect - sure, I could push my recovery and come back a little sooner but I would rather take a little more time to ensure a more complete recovery because I want to play great tennis again and I want my body to be healthy so that I can also still hike with my kids in years to come. With this type of injury, outcomes are more predictable and there are well established rehabilitation guidelines. Working through those protocols and being patient with their body generally allows people to regain functionality, and some even come back stronger than before. 

With Long Covid and other post-viral conditions, time alone rarely leads to improvement. Recovery doesn’t seem to follow a clear path and can include many ups and downs, with symptoms often worsening over time, especially when no action is taken or when interventions are too aggressive. The important thing to remember is that the body is still mounting an active response, which makes it difficult to enter a healing state and benefit from a typical recovery approach. Instead, patience and pacing are even more critical to balance rest and activity.  

Injuries, like falling from a chair, can lead to a range of outcomes. While one person may feel fine the next day, another might experience lingering pain, sometimes for years. This same variability applies to Long Covid. One virus, even with different mutations, can produce mild to severe symptoms, depending on the person. Millions are deeply affected, turning to recovery solutions that worked for them in the past, only to find they don’t help. Some people may have been unaffected by a previous COVID-19 infection but developed Long Covid after repeat infections. When the typical injury recovery path doesn’t work, the question we ask is, what does?

While the pathways for recovering from injuries and post-viral conditions share some similarities, they also have significant differences.

The pathway for recovery from injuries

With an injury like a broken bone, torn ligament, or dislocated joint, the recovery process usually follows a predictable path, including:

1. Diagnosis: Accurate identification of the injury.
2. Initial Treatment: This could involve immobilization, surgery, or medication.
3. Rehabilitation: Physical therapy and exercises to regain strength and mobility.
4. Recovery and Monitoring: Gradual return to activities while watching for setbacks.

Though these steps are well-defined, timelines can vary. Even after recovery, the injured area might never feel the same and could require ongoing care. However, rehab is generally predictable and highly structured, and health professionals emphasize adherence to rehabilitation guidelines and increasing intensity of activity over time.

The unpredictable pathway of Long Covid and post-viral recovery

In contrast, Long Covid recovery is less predictable and more complex. The condition can affect multiple systems in the body, causing symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and respiratory issues. That said, we know that structured guidance can be impactful, provided it leaves flexibility for personalization. Recovery often involves:

1. Diagnosis: self diagnosis or diagnosis from a clinician, including a recognition from the person that their body and/or brain are not operating as they should
2. Holistic Approaches: Incorporating nutrition, nervous system support, pacing, and gentle exercise.
3. Symptom Management Support: Tools and strategies to alleviate symptoms.
4. Adaptive Strategies: Adjusting daily activities based on energy levels and capabilities.
5. Ongoing Monitoring: Regular check-ups to manage persisting symptoms.

Unlike physical injuries, Long Covid recovery doesn’t follow a clearly mapped timeline. Progress can be non-linear, with good days followed by setbacks. This requires flexible, simple symptom management tools that can be integrated into daily life, supporting the immune and nervous systems to build baseline ability and help the setbacks to happen less often and be less intense. 

Lifelong attention and symptom management

Both injury recovery and Long Covid management highlight the need for ongoing care. For injuries, continued attention to the affected area helps prevent further issues. Similarly, for Long Covid, symptom management tools are essential for long-term well-being and should be straightforward enough to be used consistently without taking up much time or energy.

Just as it’s possible to fully recover from an injury, it’s also possible for those with Long Covid to live a full life again. However, in both cases, life adjustments may be necessary. We should remain open to recovery opportunities and give promising approaches, programs, and protocols a chance.

Finding strength in the process

Recovery, whether from an injury or a post-viral condition, takes time. Throughout the process, it’s essential to listen to your body’s signals, especially with Long Covid. Symptoms like pain and discomfort are indicators that something may not be right, and it’s important to listen to your body, not push through the discomfort and adjust your activity levels accordingly. Patience is key—rushing recovery can lead to setbacks or a long cycle of peaks and troughs with little overall improvement. By embracing symptom management as an ongoing process, seeking support, and using effective management strategies, you can foster resilience, accelerate your improvement trajectory and find strength and hope in the journey.

Warmly,
Katie & Andrea