Physical therapy in the rehabilitation of patients with aerobic infections of the extremities

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how infection of extremity after war wound influenced the possibilities and immediate effects of a physical therapy. METHODS: The retrospective clinical investigation comparing two groups: group A (n = 86) with infection, group B (n = 87) without infection. Main indicators for possibilities of the physical therapy were the numbers and types of physical procedures used. For the estimation of immediate effects of physical therapy the muscle power and the range of motion were used. RESULTS: The number of daily physical procedures in the group with infection, compared to the group without infection, was significantly lesser ((A: 2.87 +/- 1.73; B: 4.02 +/- 1.73; p < 0.001). The patients with infection were significantly less frequently submitted to thermotherapy, hydrotherapy, interferent current and electrostimulation. Patients with infection, compared to patients without infection, had significantly poorer improvement of amplitude of analyzed movements at the end of treatment (A: 6.66 +/- 7.28 degrees; B: 16.66 +/- 14.79 degrees; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The infection of the extremities limited the possibilities and reduced the immediate effects of physical therapy.