Physiotherapy in elderly with severe spinal cord injury non-operative due to osteoporosis: case report

Abstract

Introduction: Fall is one the main causes of spinal cord injury (SCI) in the elderly and is associated with an increased number of complications. Thus, studies on this subject are of extreme importance and need for there to be progress and improvements in the rehabilitation process. Objective: Report the case of woman, 62 years old, with osteoporosis and multiple vertebral fractures in the spine, after a fall to the ground. Method: We report a case of woman, 62 years old, with osteoporosis and multiple vertebral fractures in the spine, after a fall to the ground. The Patient was admitted with a chief complaint of severe pain in the lumbar and thoracic regions, and started physical therapy distributed three times per week (10 sessions of 45 minutes/session), with period of 48 hour interval between sessions. During all sessions the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) was used for pain measurement. Patient was submitted to assessment of fear of falling by scale Falls Efficacy Scale – International – Brazil, and quality of life using questionnaire Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36). Results: The patient began treatment with intense pain, but after the third session the pain ceased and remained absent until the end of treatment. Regarding the fear of falling, there was a significant reduction in the level of concern. When initiating treatment, the patient showed impaired quality of life, but after physical therapy there was significant improvement. Conclusion: The physiotherapy promoted reduction of pain, fear of falling and improved the quality of life of patient with spinal cord trauma.