Rehabilitation in Spinal Muscular Atrophy; A Narrative Review

Abstract

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a group of genetic diseases that cause muscle weakness and mobility problems. There are no clear clinical guidelines for assessing and rehabilitating individuals with SMA, despite its increasing prevalence. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive review of physical therapy's effectiveness in improving treatment outcomes for SMA by analyzing existing literature. A search was conducted in Pubmed, PEDro and Google scholar using relevant keywords. Studies on assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation for SMA were included in the review. The review found that assessment must be comprehensive, and rehabilitation approaches include exercise training, positioning, orthotics, and mobility aids, chest physiotherapy, contracture and scoliosis management, and aquatic exercises. Physical therapy improves the quality of life for children with SMA at every stage of the disease. However, there is still insufficient evidence on the effectiveness of physical therapy in managing people with SMA, and more high-quality studies are needed.