Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

Department

Physical Therapy

First Advisor

Cindy Flom-Meland

Keywords

Lyme Disease -- rehabilitation; Physical Therapy Modalities; Case Reports

Abstract

Background and Purpose. Lyme disease is the most prevalent tick-borne infectious disease in the United States and presents with symptoms that can be treated with physical therapy intervention. The purposes of this case report are to present (1) an example of physical therapy intervention as treatment for a 61 year old male diagnosed with late stage Lyme disease with multiple impairments; (2) to report the patient's functional outcomes; and (3) to provide basis for further research on the effects of physical therapy intervention as it relates to late stage Lyme disease.

Case Description. The 60 year old, male patient was treated for a primary complaint of globalized weakness and inability to ambulate. Further impairments included deconditioning as a result of being bedridden for 4 weeks, gross muscle weakness, high fall risk, decreased functional mobility, pelvic fracture, migratory joint pain and arthritis, fatigue, incontinence, disturbed sleep pattems and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

Intervention. The patient was treated over the course of six weeks with physical therapy interventions which included: transfer training exercise, home exercise program, therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, and gait training.

Outcomes. Patient showed a clinically significant increase in areas of strength, functional independence measure, functional mobility, transfer safety and technique, and ambulation distance.

Discussion. This case report supplies evidence that physical therapy intervention can produce favorable outcomes following Chronic Lyme disease. Future research should include the use of various functional outcome assessments.

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