Effects of IMT on Functional Capacity in Patients With Chronic COVID After Hospital Discharge

Patients allocated to the IMT arm will be instructed to train at home twice daily, for 20 minutes each session, using a Threshold inspiratory muscle trainer (Respironics Inc., Parsippany, NJ). They will be instructed by a physiotherapist responsible for training intervention and educated to maintain diaphragmatic breathing during the training period. The subjects will start breathing at a resistance equal to 25% to 30% of their maximal inspiratory mouth pressure (MIP) for 1 week. The respiratory therapist will examine the patients at weekly intervals by checking the diary card and measuring the MIP each time. The resistance will be modified each session according to the 25% to 30% of their MIP measured.