Learn from published rehabilitation case reports. Each file links to the original paper and separates what the authors reported from what a clinician can cautiously learn.
Evidence honesty: a case report describes one clinical story. It can teach clinical reasoning, but it cannot prove that a treatment works for everyone.
Showing 50 of 50 published reports
A 40-year-old man presented 53 days after fixation of a comminuted patellar fracture with severe knee stiffness. Medical comorbidities had delayed early rehabilitation, making safe progression and monitoring central to the case.
A 25-year-old person with C6 AIS B tetraplegia was admitted for rehabilitation in the subacute phase after a diving accident. The case examines how aerobic training was integrated with conventional inpatient rehabilitation rather than treating exercise capacity as separate from neurological rehabilitation.
A 78-year-old woman sought physiotherapy for persistent symptoms three decades after a severe electrical injury. Her presentation included lumbopelvic pain, bilateral leg tingling, impaired balance and gait, recurrent drop attacks, and reduced participation in her preferred exercise activity.
A patient developed foot drop and functional limitations after a lower-limb gunshot injury. Following emergency management, the injury was associated with common peroneal nerve damage and the patient was referred for structured rehabilitation.
A 56-year-old woman with chronic anterior shoulder pain was assessed using a clinical-reasoning approach and the ICF framework. The authors identified long-head-of-biceps tendinopathy in a presentation where overlapping shoulder conditions can complicate diagnosis.
A 67-year-old man with polymyositis-associated interstitial lung disease was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital after a complicated acute illness. He had severe malnutrition, marked muscle loss and rapid shallow breathing that restricted exercise tolerance.
A 63-year-old man with an acute pontine lacunar infarction had balance and gait difficulties despite relatively preserved strength and selective movement. The team investigated proprioception more quantitatively and tailored treatment to the identified impairment.
A 73-year-old man with moderate COPD experienced breathlessness and functional decline after stopping regular exercise. A structured programme was delivered through a primary-care setting, demonstrating one practical service model.
A 40-year-old woman with Guillain–Barré syndrome developed profound weakness affecting all four limbs and required extensive assistance with daily activities. The report follows a structured, goal-based rehabilitation programme over four months after acute medical treatment.
A 26-year-old university-level volleyball player developed right shoulder pain that limited overhead activity. After an early return to play aggravated symptoms, the physiotherapy assessment emphasized scapulothoracic movement control and sport-specific function.
A 59-year-old man was referred to outpatient physiotherapy for episodes of spinning dizziness and was initially considered to have a peripheral vestibular disorder. His history also included ear symptoms and chronic rhinosinusitis, demonstrating why a broad clinical history matters when symptoms do not fit a simple pattern.
This case report examines remotely delivered seated exercises for a person recovering from stroke and whether training gains transferred to balance and mobility. The publication describes a remote exercise approach in the context of rehabilitation access and functional practice.
A 38-year-old right-hand-dominant woman sustained a glass laceration involving the flexor and extensor tendons of the index and middle fingers, radial artery and median nerve. Following surgical repair, the report describes a staged rehabilitation programme balancing tendon protection with recovery of movement and hand use.
A 44-year-old man with complex medical history was admitted for acute inpatient rehabilitation with symptoms considered suggestive of functional neurological disorder. The authors describe an interdisciplinary programme addressing physical function, cognition, communication and psychological factors; a definitive specialist diagnosis was not confirmed during the reported admission.
An eight-year-old girl presented to a paediatric physical therapy and neurorehabilitation centre in Lahore with pain, numbness and features of Klippel-Feil syndrome, a congenital condition associated with fused cervical vertebrae and restricted neck movement.
A 63-year-old man presented with severe right shoulder pain and scapular winging associated with Parsonage-Turner syndrome (neuralgic amyotrophy). The report also describes a complex presentation involving supraspinatus tendon and long thoracic nerve pathology.
A 71-year-old woman living in a rural area had severe right-sided hemiplegia five years after a left-hemisphere ischaemic stroke. The report evaluates a structured home-based physiotherapy programme using techniques based on the PNF concept.
A 17-year-old male with a long history of spinal tuberculosis presented with progressive lower-limb weakness and walking difficulty. Imaging showed T7–T9 vertebral body collapse and gibbus deformity with spinal cord compression; he underwent posterior decompression and fixation before physiotherapy.
This case report describes a four-year-old boy with cerebral palsy classified at Gross Motor Function Classification System level IV. A modified six-week intensive programme was designed to address developmental gross motor skills, supported standing, gait and upper-limb use.
A 45-year-old nurse reported six months of heel pain, particularly during her first steps in the morning. Her work involved prolonged standing. The report describes an individualized rehabilitation plan rather than a single isolated technique.
An 84-year-old man with COPD and comorbidities was referred with worsening cough and breathlessness. Physiotherapy was provided alongside medical management, with a focus on breathing, relaxation and activity tolerance.
A 35-year-old man sustained fractures involving several joints after a road traffic accident and underwent surgical fixation. Rehabilitation had to address multiple regions and competing functional demands.
An 86-year-old woman experienced a rare extracapsular ischemic stroke and required intensive care during an unstable early phase. Once medically stable, she was referred for physiotherapy because of generalized weakness and impaired balance and walking.
A 56-year-old man with Parkinson disease sought neurorehabilitation because of generalized weakness, slowness of movement, involuntary upper-limb movements and difficulty walking. The report describes a six-week programme with weekly goals and repeated functional assessment.
A 30-year-old man developed right knee pain and swelling after a two-wheeler accident. Investigations identified complete ACL and PCL tears, followed by arthroscopic reconstruction and a structured physiotherapy programme.
A 72-year-old man presented with three days of right-sided weakness and difficulty seeing on his right side. Investigations identified an acute infarct in the left posterior cerebral artery territory involving the medial temporal and occipital regions, thalamus and splenium of the corpus callosum. Physiotherapy assessment identified right hemiparesis and homonymous hemianopia.
A 54-year-old woman sustained a left knee dislocation with multiligament injury and underwent surgical repair of the posterolateral corner. Persistent pain and difficulty bearing weight were reported during recovery, and rehabilitation was structured around the post-operative functional limitations.
A 27-year-old male cricket player developed right shoulder pain and restricted movement after forcefully throwing a ball. The case report describes physiotherapy before and after surgery for a partial rotator cuff tear, with rehabilitation directed toward pain, shoulder mobility, muscle strength and sport-related function.
The report describes a 47-year-old woman with bilateral knee osteoarthritis who completed a six-week physiotherapy programme combining conventional care with additional techniques. The authors monitored pain, range of motion, muscle performance and patient-reported knee function.
An 18-year-old man sustained a high-energy left lower-limb injury in a road traffic accident. The injury included a grade 3C open proximal tibial fracture managed with an Ilizarov fixator and a neurovascular deficit associated with left foot drop. The case describes rehabilitation in the context of complex fracture management and substantial mobility loss.
A 22-year-old male student and recreational badminton player reported left shoulder and wrist pain following a road traffic accident. The report describes a grade 1 acromioclavicular joint sprain alongside volar intercalated segment instability at the wrist, requiring assessment and rehabilitation of two separate upper-limb regions.
A 23-year-old woman developed weakness in the upper and lower limbs, seizures and an ataxic gait after sepsis-related brainstem encephalitis. MRI showed marked cerebellar atrophy. The case describes a goal-oriented physiotherapy programme aimed at functional mobility, strength, balance and coordination.
A woman in her fifties experienced right-sided paralysis after a left-sided atherothrombotic cerebral infarction involving the corona radiata. After acute hospital care and admission to rehabilitation, she was able to walk with a cane by day 17 after onset. The report examined gait training while the non-paretic knee was immobilized, using an AB phase design.
A 54-year-old South Asian man developed left-sided hemiplegia following a right gangliocapsular stroke. The report focused on scapular alignment and upper-limb function, which can be affected after stroke alongside more obvious limb weakness.
A 25-year-old woman presented with recurrent ankle sprains, persistent pain, swelling and a feeling of instability despite previous conservative care. The report describes a multifaceted physiotherapy approach that incorporated wearable Xsens gait analysis to inform assessment and rehabilitation.
A 71-year-old woman presented with a right-hand burn, swelling, wound contracture and restricted movement of the fourth and fifth fingers. She had undergone split skin grafting. The case discusses pain management and functional rehabilitation in an older adult after a significant hand burn.
A 62-year-old female field worker with longstanding left shoulder pain and a partial-thickness rotator cuff tear on MRI received a six-week multimodal physiotherapy programme. The case combines manual therapy with exercise, education and symptom-management modalities.
A seven-year-old girl with ataxic cerebral palsy had difficulty walking, standing for longer periods and performing gross and fine motor activities. The report describes a goal-oriented neuro-physiotherapy programme.
A woman underwent surgery for a vestibular schwannoma at the cerebellopontine angle and experienced post-operative balance and coordination problems alongside other neurological symptoms. The report describes vestibular rehabilitation integrated with conventional neurophysiotherapy.
A 30-year-old woman with severe rheumatoid arthritis and deformities affecting multiple joints underwent left total knee replacement for advanced knee involvement. The case describes a 15-day physiotherapy programme addressing post-operative pain, restricted knee motion, muscle weakness and function in the context of systemic inflammatory disease.
A 50-year-old man with a non-healing foot ulcer and gangrene underwent a left transtibial amputation and was referred for pre-prosthetic and prosthetic rehabilitation. Diabetes, hypertension, malnutrition and depression added complexity to recovery.
A 38-year-old left-hand-dominant man sustained a severe hand crush injury in a road traffic accident, with extensive soft-tissue injury and complex bony and joint involvement. The report emphasizes careful recognition of the injury pattern and post-surgical rehabilitation to restore useful hand function.
A 44-year-old woman had persistent pain for 13 years after lumbar fusion. The report explores how manual therapy was used within a broader plan that also addressed exercise, pain understanding and confidence—not as a stand-alone structural fix.
A 71-year-old man with COPD and COVID-19 pneumonia required mechanical ventilation and deep sedation. The case describes rehabilitation beginning during critical illness, with activities adjusted to respiratory and medical status.
This case report describes physical therapy for an individual with persistent symptoms after COVID-19, including reduced exercise tolerance, fatigue, dyspnoea and cognitive and emotional concerns. It is useful for understanding why post-COVID rehabilitation needs to consider more than aerobic capacity alone.
This report follows a 12-year-old female soccer player through rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction. In addition to strength and hop testing, the team measured external workload to examine whether the training exposure approached the demands of competitive soccer.
This case report describes a 26-year-old man with a long history of low-back pain and activity-related limitations. The report focuses on motor-skill training as a way to change how meaningful movements are performed, rather than simply adding generic exercises.
Rather than describing only one patient's treatment, this implementation case report examines a proactive physiotherapy pathway for people with early Parkinson disease, before major mobility problems emerge. The programme used shared decision-making and flexible care pathways to help people maintain independent exercise.
A 57-year-old woman with unilateral knee osteoarthritis was assessed before total knee arthroplasty and at three and ten weeks after surgery. The report focuses on persistent movement asymmetry after surgery and a rehabilitation strategy designed to improve symmetrical loading.
A 56-year-old woman reported a very long history of positional vertigo. The case describes an individualized vestibular rehabilitation and home-exercise approach, with symptom change monitored over several weeks.
