Background: Strokes can be traumatic events that have the potential to result in serious long-term disability. Predicting the extent of a patient’s recovery following a stroke is challenging due to the unlikelihood of the patient being able to regain their previous level of function. Currently, there is no consensus in the research literature to definitively conclude if therapy including functional based, task-specific interventions continues to benefit patients in the long-term phase of recovery from a stroke. Case Description: A 59-year-old male suffered a stroke involving bilateral thalamic and brainstem areas secondary to bacterial endocarditis three years prior. He spent three weeks in an acute care hospital, followed by seven months in an inpatient rehabilitation facility. After being discharged home, he attended 60 visits of outpatient physical therapy before transitioning to home health care. Following approximately 20 months, the patient returned to outpatient physical therapy with the goal of improving functional performance. Interventions: Task-specific, repetitive practice of functional interventions were used, specifically targeting balance, transfers, and ambulation. Clinical Outcomes: Changes in levels of assistance were measured. Levels of assistance were defined and adapted from Pierson and Fairchild’s Principles and Techniques of Patient Care. Discussion: The prognosis and timeline for recovery following a stroke is difficult to determine. Task-specific interventions may be used to facilitate neuroplasticity and recovery; however, the timing of when these interventions are no longer benefiting the patient from a functional standpoint is not well defined. This case demonstrates an example of a patient’s notable, but limited gains, despite using a task-specific approach, several years after the original stroke event. Additional rehabilitation may not be effective to reverse chronic functional loss.
Dissertation
Functional Mobility Rehabilitation for a Patient 3 Years After a Massive Stroke: A Case Report
University of Iowa
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) , University of Iowa
Summer 2020
Free to read and download, Open Access
Abstract
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Functional Mobility Rehabilitation for a Patient 3 Years After a Massive Stroke: A Case Report
- Creators
- Michaela Huey - University of Iowa
- Contributors
- Laura Frey Law (Advisor)Michael Petrie (Advisor)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Project Type
- Case Report
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) , University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science
- Date degree season
- Summer 2020
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- 9 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2020 Michaela Huey
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Doctor of Physical Therapy Case Reports
- Record Identifier
- 9984201517202771
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