What happened?
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.
Clinical findings
- The acute presentation included a fall, loss of consciousness and oxygen-saturation instability requiring intubation and ICU care.
- After stabilization, weakness contributed to balance and gait limitations.
- The report used manual muscle testing, Berg Balance Scale, Dynamic Gait Index and Functional Independence Measure to track change.
Rehabilitation described in the report
- A structured two-week programme included strengthening, bed mobility, balance practice, fine and gross motor tasks and gait training.
- Interventions were adjusted to the patient's impairments and functional status; the article also reports a later follow-up assessment.
Reported outcomes
- The authors reported improvements in strength, gait pattern, balance and independence in activities of daily living over the rehabilitation period.
- The reported gains were captured with functional and impairment-level measures rather than relying only on a general impression.
Clinical lessons to consider
- Medical stability and appropriate monitoring come before mobilization intensity after an acute stroke.
- Choose outcome measures that match the main problems—balance, gait, strength and independence.
- An unusual stroke presentation is a reminder to coordinate with the medical team and avoid assuming all gait impairment is purely musculoskeletal.
Limitations — what this case cannot tell us
- A single case cannot establish that physiotherapy alone caused the improvement, particularly when the stroke was described as spontaneously resolving.
- The case does not establish a standard programme for other stroke locations or severities.
Original source
Neha P. Arya, Nikita H. Seth, Ghanishtha C. Burile, Raghumahanti Raghuveer. “Targeted Physiotherapy for an Interesting Case of Spontaneously Resolving Extracapsular Infarct: A Case Report.” Cureus, 2024. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.52348
View the original publicationThis page is an independently written educational summary, not a reproduction of the full paper. Check the original article for complete methods, outcome tables, references and licensing.