Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Slovakian spas soon provided individuals who experienced long-term health complications the unique possibility to regain their strength and improve their health by offering various rehabilitation programmes. The well-received initiative commenced by the Slovak Spa Association quickly gained recognition and continues to attract visitors to Slovakian spa resorts.

COVID-19 leaves many with long-term health problems that must be addressed as soon as possible. One of the ways to help post-covid patients is rehabilitation care in medical spas.

The range of long-term health complications after overcoming COVID-19 is broad and not only limited to breathing issues. In fact, respiratory problems are not even the most common. The subsequent problems can affect almost all organs of the human body, including the heart, blood vessels, peripheral nerves, brain, kidneys, joints and muscles.

A diversified offer of treatments

All spa resorts in Slovakia provide a broad spectre of treatments for patients. As spa care is a complex institutional health care in the medical field of physiatry, balneology and medical rehabilitation, the resorts use the following methods:

• Balneotherapy – using a local source of natural healing water for internal and external procedures
• Climate therapy – treating patients in a location where the climatic conditions are recognised as suitable for treatment
• Physiotherapy – a wide range of treatment methods such as massages and exercise
• Ergotherapy – training fine motor skills and self-care
• Physical therapy – a broad range of procedures, including hydrotherapy, electrotherapy and oxygen therapy

All treatments are carried out by multidisciplinary teams of professionals specialising in rehabilitation. When arriving for rehabilitation treatment, each patient undergoes an initial medical examination to ensure the healthcare professionals decide which treatment works best.

The commendable initiative by Slovakian spa resorts will help further advance the treatment of patients infected with COVID-19 and foster the growth of the health and spa industry. With an increasing number of guests deciding to visit spa resorts, such campaigns will help raise the prominence of Slovakia and the health and spa industry in general.