ABSTRACT
The specific effect of balneotherapy by sulphated salt springs on a 51-year old man with limb contracture induced by limb burns was observed. He underwent a skin graft for two to three degree burns on 30% of his total body surface area involving limbs, and was admitted to Atagawa rehabilitation hospital after traumatism for two months. After he had balneotherapy (sulfated salt springs) for 15 minutes, he received 40 minutes of physical therapy four times a week as well as 40 minutes of occupational therapy four times a week. After treatment for three months, his contracture and daily living activities improved to a complete independence level, at which point he was discharged. He continued rehabilitation through the outpatient department, during which time his contracture worsened at one point before improving again.<br> During his rehabilitation, a difference was recognized in the frequency and content of his rehabilitation during hospitalization compared to that in the outpatient department. He performed voluntary training mainly on range of motion exercises with a positive attitude throughout hospitalization, and the frequency and content of voluntary training did not change much after discharge, but balneotherapy ended with the discharge, so we presume that the improvement of the good range of motion limit during his time as an inpatient and the worsening of this after discharge was due to whether or not he was receiving balneotherapy.<br> For the treatment of hypertrophic scars, a silicone gel sheeting has been used since the 1980s. Silicone gel sheeting is a safe and effective treatment for hypertrophic and keloid scars. Comparing the effects of treatment using silicone gel sheeting to those of treatment using sulphated salt springs shows there are common elements in terms of thermal insulation, moisture retention, action on fibroblast, and acceleration of collagenase activity and production. Therefore, it is expected that treatment using balneotherapy by sulphated salt springs has a similar effect as when treating hypertrophic scars with silicone gel sheeting and suggests why this led to improvement for this ailment. In addition, balneotherapy using sulphated salt springs is expected to provide the benefits of bathing in a sulphatedsalt springs in a convenient and easy manner for the entire body.<br> The authors propose a new rehabilitation method using balneotherapy by sulphated salt springs to treat hypertrophic scaring.
ABSTRACT
The specific effect of underwater exercise in a 61-year old woman with cerebellar ataxia induced by spinocerebellar degeneration was observed. She was treated through home visit rehabilitation. She was admitted to this hospital in 2004 and started underwater exercise. She received 40 minutes of physical therapy three times a week as well as 40 minutes of occupational therapy and 30 minutes of underwater exercise three times a week. After that training, her cerebellar ataxia was relieved, and she could walk indoors with good stability using a T cane. During 5 hospitalizations in 3.5 years, her cerebellar ataxia improved and her walking was stabilized.<br>Some differences in her rehabilitation during hospitalization compared to when she was at home was that occupational therapy was added and that the training frequency was increased five times by physical therapy and occupational therapy for one week in total, and that underwater exercise was added. In regards to the improvement of her dysfunction in terms of daily living, a trunk and an inferior limb were important factors. Therefore, we think that intervention through physical therapy and underwater exercise was significant. Also, the difference between her physical therapy during hospitalization and when at-home was three times a week during hospitalization and twice a week when at home. Therefore, we determined there was a large difference of her rehabilitation effected by the underwater exercise. There is a possibility the underwater exercise improved her intension tremor and dysmetria, stabilized her indoor walking, and extended the distance she walked outdoors.<br>Underwater exercise is a plural classical training method that is reasonably safe while at the same time providing rehabilitation for cerebellar ataxia, and this exercise is expected to provide addition due to the warm temperature of the water.<br>The authors propose that new rehabilitation using underwater exercise for cerebellar ataxia be considered.