Physical therapy intervention improves pain, mobility, and strength in a patient with transverse myelitis seropositive to Chikungunya: Case report

Chikungunya Fever is an arbovirus transmitted by Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Neurological manifestations associated with arboviruses such as Dengue and Zika Virus were reported between 2017 and 2019. To describe the impact of physical therapy management on pain, mobility, and strength for a patient with transverse myelitis seropositive to Chikungunya. A 29-year-old patient with transverse myelitis due to Chikungunya virus infection was subjected to physiotherapeutic evaluation and intervention for the management of pain, mobility, and lower limb strength. Pain intensity, tactile sensitivity for light touch and pain, and thermal sensitivity were assessed by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), aesthesiometer and pin-prick stimulator, and hot/cold test tubes, respectively. Functional mobility and lower limbs strength were assessed by the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and the 30-s Chair-Stand test (30 CST), respectively. The physiotherapeutic protocol included kinesiotherapy, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, and Functional Electrical Stimulation. After 20 sessions of a multimodal physical therapy intervention, all joints tested by NPRS showed pain reduction: lumbar spine (57.15%), hip and ankles (100%), right knee (28.58%), and left knee (33.34%).There was an improvement in performing the TUG test at "getting up" and "sitting down" phases (decrease of 30% and 23%, respectively), while the number of repetitions in the 30 TFC increased by 75%, in addition, there was an improvement in performance in the tests, with more autonomy and independence. At the end of the physiotherapeutic intervention, pain, mobility, and strength of the lower limbs were improved.