Applying to the biopsychosocial model to COVID-19 rehabilitation pathways

Tom Wainwright

Matt Low

Congratulations to Associate Professor Tom Wainwright and Consultant Physiotherapist Matthew Low who have published an article in the Integrated Healthcare Journal on the rehabilitation of COVID-19 patients. The article is titled “Why the biopsychosocial model needs to be the underpinning philosophy in Rehabilitation pathways for patients recovering from COVID-19”.

Associate Professor Tom Wainwright:

Example of a changing biopsychosocial model for a patient recovering from COVID-19.

“At the start of the pandemic, Matthew and I were discussing the future long-term challenge for the rehabilitation of patients following COVID-19. What had been acknowledged, but not emphasised at the time, was that a broader lens may be needed to view the ongoing rehabilitation needs for patients most affected by the virus.  We thought this broader perspective may need to view the long lasting biological, sociological and psychological impacts that the virus and other contextual consequences may have upon individual people, and our society on a global scale.

Matthew Low:

As we saw this, we felt that an early acknowledgement of the well-known biopsychosocial theoretical model should be highlighted.  Since submission of our article in April, we were concerned that a delay to publication would mean that the article had lost its impact.  However, although a significant amount of knowledge has been gained, and development achieved in regard to the rehabilitation of patients with COVID-19, we believe the article still has relevance and an important message.

Matthew Low is a Consultant Physiotherapist at The Royal Bournemouth Hospital and a Visiting Associate at ORI.

The article can be viewed ahead of publication here: Why the biopsychosocial model needs to be the underpinning philosophy in rehabilitation pathways for patients recovering from COVID-19 – PMC (nih.gov)