Physical Therapy Management of a Young Adult with Cerebellar and Thalamic Strokes following COIVD-19 Infection

Background: It is thought that the increased immune response and prothrombotic state associated with COVID-19 infection, can result in COVID-19 associated coagulopathy, which can put an individual at increased risk for stroke. With a focus on medical interventions and pathology of stroke as a complication of COVID-19, there is relatively little research concerning the rehabilitation process for these individuals following acute care. Case Presentation: A 33-year-old female had been isolated at home for about a week after testing positive for COVID-19 when her family found her with difficulty communicating and right-sided weakness. She was diagnosed with bilateral cerebellar and left thalamic strokes. After multiple complications during her acute care, she was admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility a little over two months after her stroke. Interventions: A variety of intervention techniques were utilized in her plan of care including exercises to improve her ability to maintain upright posture, FES cycling, and gait training in an overhead bodyweight support system. Outcomes: The Section GG Mobility Items of the IRF-PAI were primarily used as a way to document the assessment of her transfer abilities throughout her rehabilitation, and the patient demonstrated improvements in her ability to complete these functional tasks with greater independence at discharge. Discussion: There is little research concerning physical therapy guidelines and rehabilitation process for individuals that have had a stroke after having been infected with COVID-19. Because of this, the clinician may choose to utilize evidence-based approaches for stroke rehabilitation in a more commonly known stroke population.