Mh Rahman

Effectiveness of physiotherapy treatment for post chikungunya arthralgia

Aims: Chikungunya virus is an arthropodborne Alphavirus primarily transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. The disease exhibited by high grade fever and in the resolving time characterized by arthralgia. Though potential chemical mediators exaggerate the symptoms, a combination of direct tissue and cell damage caused by viral replication and indirect immune activation responses in the target tissues causes surrounding muscle atrophy, pain and disability in daily activities. Therefore, physiotherapy treatment plays an important role among recovering patients. Methods: A pre-test and Mohammad Habibur Rahman1, Nasirul Islam2, Md. Obaidul Haque3, Md. Zahid Hossain4, Samena Akter Kakuli5, Nowab Reza Md. Rashif6 Affiliations: 1Assistant Professor of Physiotherapy, Bangladesh Health Professions Institute, The Academic Institute of Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed, Savar; 2Associate Professor & Principal (Acting), Bangladesh Health Professions Institute, The Academic Institute of Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed, Savar; 3Associate Professor & Head, Department of Physiotherapy, Bangladesh Health Professions Institute, The Academic Institute of Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed, Savar; 4Lecturer, Department of Physiotherapy, Bangladesh Health Professions Institute, The Academic Institute of Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed, Savar; 5Senior Clinical Physiotherapist, Department of Physiotherapy, Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed, Savar; 6Senior Clinical Physiotherapist and In charge, Department of Physiotherapy, Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed, Mirpur. Corresponding Author: Mohammad Habibur Rahman, Assistant Professor, Department of Physiotherapy, BHPI, CRP, Savar, Dhaka 1343, Bangladesh; Email: sumonpt1983@gmail.com Received: 17 August 2017 Accepted: 28 September 2017 Published: 20 November 2017 post-test study design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy treatment to reduce pain and minimize disability level among patients with chikungunya arthralgia. Among the 10 participants, the mean (±SD) age was 38±9 and 3(30%) were males and 7(70%) were females. Among the 10 participants, 3 complained of pain in lower back and knee joint, 3 complained of pain in lower back and ankle joint and 4 had pain in neck and shoulder region. Result: General pain intensity at rest was found (p < 0.04) effective after application of dose based physiotherapy treatment. Besides, disability level was also analyzed and results found that after application of physiotherapy treatment statistically significant (p < 0.01) level of disability was minimized and patient improved their functional status and level of independence. In the individual eight sections of health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), significant outcome found was found such as arising (p = 0.040), eating (p = 0.008), hygiene (p = 0.016), grip (p = 0.034) except dressing (p > 0.05), walking (p > 0.05) and activities (p > 0.05). Conclusion: There is limited trial on the efficacy of physiotherapy management of recovering chikungunya patients. However, this study have drawn a guideline for the management of pain and disability following chikungunya.