Introduction: Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral disease of the central nervous system, transmitted by the infected tick stabs. Most patients fully recover from the disease, whereas 10 % of patients develop paralysis of different muscle groups. Purpose: The aim of this study is to present an example of physiotherapy in patient after tick-borne meningoradiculitis. Methods: A fifty-eight years old patient started physiotherapy six weeks after the outbreak of the disease. Physiotherapeutic assessment was carried out using standardized outcome measures before and after the three-week treatment. It included a goniometric assessment of passive leg range of motion, manual muscle testing, evaluation of sensory functions and pain, assessment of the posture, balance and ability to walk. Based on the results of the evaluation we identified problems, set goals, and selected the appropriate physiotherapeutic methods. Physiotherapy was held every working day, for three consecutive weeks. Results: The patient has improved his range of motion of the right leg joints (internal rotation of the hip joint for 9°, external rotation of the hip joint for 10°, flexion of the knee joint for 10°, plantar flexion of the ankle joint for 15°), his right hip external rotators strength for two grades and his right knee flexors strength for one grade and a half, hypesthesia of the right L2 and S1 dermatomes has not improved during the treatment, the pain has been reduced by 10 mm on a visual analogue scale for pain intensity, the patient has improved body alignment and posture symmetry, his balance has improved for 11 points on the Berg balance scale, and the speed of comfortable walking by the 10 meter walk test has improved for 0,32 m/s, whereby the patient has improved the distance for 131 metres by the six-minute walk test. Discussion and conclusion: The results of the measurement tools have shown progress in nearly all tests, the biggest in improving balance and walking ability. We assume that the physiotherapy programme in this patient after tick-borne meningoradiculitis has improved balance, walking ability, joint mobility, muscle capacity and has reduced pain.
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