Abstract
Aims: To report three clinical cases of complex brachial plexus injury treated with an innovative physical therapy program, the Chordata Method, combined with electrotherapy. Case description: Three patients suffered a complex brachial plexus injury. They were submitted to surgery and to long-term rehabilitation with the Chordata method (including suspension and tilting exercises) combined with electrotherapy. All patients exhibited significant signs of recovery in post-treatment electroneuromyography. Moreover, improvements in muscle strength and in the range of motion of the injured upper limb were also observed, leading to better posture and gains in activities of daily living (e.g., driving a modified car, holding objects, performing household chores, and doing leisure activities). Conclusions: There was great functional recovery after the physical therapy program with the Chordata Method combined with electrotherapy, with an impact on patients’ daily lives as well as on electroneuromyography findings. Randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm or refute this new non-pharmacological strategy for the treatment of brachial plexus injuries.
Highlights
Brachial plexus injury (BPI), one of the most severe upper limb injuries in adults, is strongly related to traffic accidents and has high incidence rates worldwide [1,2]
To report three clinical cases of complex brachial plexus injury treated with an innovative physical therapy program, the Chordata Method, combined with electrotherapy
There was great functional recovery after the physical therapy program with the Chordata Method combined with electrotherapy, with an impact on patients’ daily lives as well as on electroneuromyography findings
Summary
Brachial plexus injury (BPI), one of the most severe upper limb injuries in adults, is strongly related to traffic accidents and has high incidence rates worldwide [1,2]. A previous case series suggested a traumatic global BPI with recovery of hand function 2 to 17 years after the injury [6] In this context, physical therapy is the only alternative to maximize functional adaptation. Verônica Baptista Frison, a physical therapist working on neuroscience research and clinical neurorehabilitation projects, developed the Chordata Method® in 1999 The aim of her method is to provide neuromuscular reactivation, movement facilitation and, return to activities of daily living using exercises especially designed to be performed on the Chordata apparatus. We report three complex BPI cases, in which the patients were submitted to an innovative physical therapy program – the Chordata Method – combined with electrotherapy. They were submitted to surgery and to long-term rehabilitation using the Chordata method combined with electrotherapy. Detailed information on the cases is provided after the Procedures subsection
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