Thursday, April 6, 2023

Efficiency of a 3-week multicomponent rehabilitation on improving the function in a patient with Friedreich's ataxia: A case report

Samardžić Vesna; Vojnosanitetski pregled 2023, vol. 80, iss. 2, pp. 182-187. DOI:10.2298/VSP220209027S 

We present a 26-year-old female with FA who had severe truncal and limb ataxia, speech difficulty, and poor walking ability. During the three-week rehabilitation, an individually tailored physical therapy program based on PNF stabilization techniques was applied. The implemented rehabilitation program resulted in an overall functional improvement. The reduction in ataxia was registered according to the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA). The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) instrument - a component of locomotion, revealed greater independence in walking. Conclusion. A rehabilitation program based on PNF stabilization techniques may reduce ataxia and improve walking ability in patients with FA.