Physical therapy evaluation and treatment of a girl diagnosed with cerebral palsy after selective dorsal rhizotomy: a case report
Abstract
Introduction: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of spasticity in childhood. An alternative treatment is selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR). The aim of this study is to describe the physical therapy evaluation and treatment of a girl with CP who underwent RDS.
Case presentation: A seven-year-old girl with CP underwent RDS as part of the management of spasticity in her lower limbs. The patient was evaluated before RDS and at six months. The degree of spasticity, range of motion, muscle length tests, bone alignment, strength, functional performance, and gait were recorded. The treatment included a post-surgical inpatient stage and an outpatient stage.
Conclusion: The physical therapy evaluation and treatment of a girl with CP, who underwent RDS, were described. We observed a decrease in spasticity, an absence of pathological reflex activity, an improvement in selective motor control, an increase in range of motion, a greater distal strength, and an improvement in the score on the video-based gait and functional mobility analysis scale. The girl achieved standing on the fifth post-surgical day and showed an increase in distances covered.
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