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Movement Disorders

Comprehensive physical therapy programs could benefit patients with cerebellar ataxia

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Physiotherapy, particularly multi-aspect programs including balance and aerobic training, shows potential in reducing symptoms of degenerative cerebellar ataxia (DCA), according to a study.

However, due to low-quality evidence and significant variability in the studies included, further high-quality research is needed to confirm its effectiveness and guide clinical practice.

The study included a review of 18 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on physical impairment and activity in people with DCA (N = 398).

Physiotherapy significantly reduced symptoms of ataxia, as measured by the Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA), with an overall mean difference (MD) of -1.41 points. Multi-aspect training programs, balance training, and aerobic training showed significant benefits, with MDs of -1.59, -1.58, and -1.65, respectively. However, interventions such as vibration therapy and dual-task training did not demonstrate significant effects.

Despite these findings, the analysis highlighted serious risks of bias and low certainty of evidence, underscoring the need for high-quality RCTs to establish more robust conclusions.

Reference
Matsugi A, Bando K, Kondo Y, et al. Effects of physiotherapy on degenerative cerebellar ataxia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Neurol. 2025;15:1491142. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1491142. PMID: 39866519; PMCID: PMC11757114.

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