Role of Kabat physical rehabilitation in Bell's palsy: a randomized trial.
CONCLUSIONS
When applied at an early stage, Kabat's rehabilitation was shown to provide a better and faster recovery rate in comparison with non-rehabilitated patients.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the validity of an early rehabilitative approach to Bell's palsy patients.


METHODS
A randomized study involved 20 consecutive patients (10 males, 10 females; aged 35-42 years) affected by Bell's palsy, classified according to the House-Brackmann (HB) grading system and grouped on the basis of undergoing or not early physical rehabilitation according to Kabat, i.e. a proprioceptive neuromuscular rehabilitation. The evaluation was carried out by measuring the amplitude of the compound motor action potential (CMAP), as well as by observing the initial and final HB grade, at days 4, 7 and 15 after onset of facial palsy.


RESULTS
Patients belonging to the rehabilitation group clearly showed an overall improvement of clinical stage at the planned final observation, i.e. 15 days after onset of facial palsy, without presenting greater values of CMAP.
Barbara
Maurizio
M
Department of Sensory Organs - Otorhinolaryngology Unit, II School of Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. Maurizio.barbara@uniroma1.it
Antonini
Giovanni
G
Vestri
Annarita
A
Volpini
Luigi
L
Monini
Simonetta
S
D000328:Adult; D020330:Bell Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises