A prospective study of physiotherapist prescribed community based exercise in inflammatory peripheral neuropathy

Abstract

There is insufficient evidence to support the use of exercise in the management of chronic disablement in people with inflammatory peripheral neuropathy. Therefore, our study aimed to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a physiotherapist prescribed community based exercise programme for reducing chronic disablement in patients with stable motor neuropathy. We assessed the effects of a 12 week unsupervised, community based strengthening, aerobic and functional exercise programme on activity limitation and other measures of functioning in 16 people with stable motor neuropathy and 10 healthy control subjects. Fourteen of 16 patients and 8 out of 10 healthy control subjects completed the study and exercised safely in the community with no adverse events. Significant improvements were seen in all measures of activity limitation and in wider measures of health including anxiety, depression and fatigue in the patient group. Improvements were sustained at six months after completion of the exercise programme, except for depression. Ten patients continued to exercise regularly at six months. These findings demonstrate that individually prescribed community based exercise is feasible and acceptable for people with stable motor neuropathy and participation in exercise may be successful in reducing chronic disablement. Future randomised controlled trials are needed to examine the efficacy of this complex community based intervention.

A clinical case series investigating the effectiveness of an exercise intervention in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy

“…Insert Table 2 here During the intervention a varied response was seen regarding walking speeds and be an effect of the exercise intervention, however it could also be explained by the 21 masking of the additional gains of the faster walking participants as they were near In line with Graham et al [14] our participants also reported to be less fatigued, 5 although this was not significant. A study encompassing more participants and 6 perhaps a longer or more intense intervention could show a significant result.…”

“…A study encompassing more participants and 6 perhaps a longer or more intense intervention could show a significant result. The 7 reduced fatigue levels in this study could be caused by increased strength levels due 8 to the intervention, but could also be explained by the possibility that participants 9 were less depressed due to improved Quality of Life, became less depressed, 10 became less anxious of the assessments over time or by the day to day variability 11 seen in this disease [14]. Although the latter is possible this study used an average 12 of three assessments and assessed the participants at set time points to limit this 13 effect.…”

Residual disability 10years after falling ill in Guillain–Barré syndrome: A prospective follow-up study

“…To prevent deterioration and facilitate physical activity, physical therapy may be needed for patients with residual symptoms. Although evidence is scarce, exercise seems to improve physical functioning [29,30].…”

Occurrence of fatigue over 20 years after recovery from Guillain–Barré syndrome

“…Recognition of fatigue as a late and disabling symptom after apparent recovery from GBS is important, as physical and behavioral therapy programs may help coping better with the complaints and improve quality of life [21,22].…”