Abstract
A 47-year-old male with Guillain-Barre Syndrome and comorbidities of diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), and chronic back pain was seen for 38 treatment sessions of inpatient physical therapy. The episode of care began on 7/10/2018 and ended on 8/14/2018. Treatment was provided by a student physical therapist under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist. Initial evaluation was conducted two weeks post onset of illness. The patient was evaluated with using manual muscle testing (MMT) for lower extremity (LE) strength, LE neurological screen, Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and patient self reported information. The patient presented with paraparesis, decreased independence with basic functional mobility, the inability to live at home with his family, participating in his normal roles of husband and father, and fulfilling his role at work in the office of an agricultural packing company. The patient received multidisciplinary care from physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, social work, and physicians. A physical therapy plan of care was developed to address the patient’s impairments and functional limitations to improve the patient’s independence and ability to participate in family life at home. Main interventions used were strength training, endurance training, aquatic therapy, over ground gait training, task-specific training, and functional training. Physical therapy was administered for 1.5 hours, 6 days per week, for 5 weeks. The patient achieved goals for strength, functional independence, and return to living at home to participate in roles as husband and father to a reduced degree. The patient was discharged to home with his family at the supervision (S) level for bed mobility and functional transfers and modified independent (mod I) level for wheelchair (WC) mobility. He was discharged with a home exercise program and a follow up appointment with outpatient physical therapy.