Treatment Of A Patient With Essential Tremor Seen In Outpatient Physical Therapy: A Retrospective Case Report

Background and Purpose: Essential tremor is one of the most common progressive neurological conditions affecting many adults and older individuals, however there is limited research of the effects of therapeutic interventions in relation to physical therapy. The purpose of this retrospective case report is to highlight interventions used in the treatment of a patient with essential tremor in an outpatient physical therapy clinic and the outcomes of those interventions. Case Description: The patient was a 68 year-old female with essential tremor. She also presented with severe COPD, impaired distal extremity sensation, and history of mini strokes, asthma, pneumonia, and kidney issues. The interventions utilized in this study included resistance training, neuromuscular training, soft tissue and joint mobilization, the modality anodyne and functional training. Outcomes: The patient was seen for a total of eleven visits over a seven-week period with four cancelations due to illness. Improvements in Berg Balance Scale (BBS) of 5 points, Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) of 8 points and Lower Extremity Functional Scale of 18 points. She also demonstrated improvements in sensation, strength and a decrease in pain and reported cervical stiffness. Discussion: This case report demonstrates the role physical therapy can have on the treatment of a patient with essential tremor and the need for continued research of specific interventions as it relates to physical therapy. Due to the complexity and evolving nature of the patient, clinical reasoning was highly utilized in creating and modifying this patient’s plan of care