Physiotherapy shows promise in reducing symptoms of degenerative cerebellar ataxia

Physiotherapy, especially multi-aspect programs that include muscle strengthening, coordination training, gait training, and daily living activity (ADL) training, can help reduce symptoms of degenerative cerebellar ataxia (DCA), according to a study.

The meta-analysis analyzed 18 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 398 participants with DCA who underwent physiotherapy. The results found that physiotherapy significantly reduced ataxia symptoms, as measured by the Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia, with a mean difference (MD) of -1.41. Subgroup analyses revealed that multi-aspect training programs, balance training, and aerobic exercises were particularly effective, while vibration therapy and dual-task training showed no significant improvement.

The study concluded that physiotherapy, particularly multi-aspect programs combining strength, coordination, gait, and daily living activities, can help alleviate DCA symptoms. However, due to the serious risk of bias and low certainty of evidence, further high-quality RCTs are needed to better establish the effectiveness of physiotherapy in managing DCA.

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.