Publication date: Jul 23, 2026
The health care community has moved from emergency response models to sustained recovery models for the rehabilitation of post-acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, commonly referred to as long COVID. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive bibliometric visualization and thematic analysis of global research output from 2020 to 2025 on rehabilitation interventions for long COVID and related post-viral disorders. The PubMed database was systematically searched to retrieve bibliometric records. VOSviewer and Biblioshiny were used to conduct a multidimensional analysis. Key metrics included annual scientific production, Lotka’s law for author productivity, Bradford’s law for core source identification, and country collaboration mapping. The life-cycle model (R2=0. 929) indicated that the field evolved in a predictable pattern, with continuous and accelerated development. However, the projected stabilization should be interpreted as a description of initial growth rather than as definitive evidence of disciplinary maturity. Scientific output in this area increased sharply and peaked in 2024. Thematic visualization identified 3 broad thematic groupings. Lotka’s law indicated a dispersed and fragmented research community, with approximately 90% of authors contributing only 1 document. Physiotherapy research for long COVID has shifted from early pulmonary-centered approaches toward more interdisciplinary models focused on cognitive health and fatigue.
| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Coronavirus | Bibliometrics |
| Global | Fatigue syndrome |
| Physiotherapy | Physical therapy modalities |
| Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome | |
| Rehabilitation |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | long COVID |
| disease | MESH | syndromes |
| disease | MESH | emergency |
| disease | MESH | severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection |
| disease | MESH | included |
| disease | MESH | fatigue |