The exercises included balancing in both sitting and standing positions, which allows both highly functional individuals (able to stand on one leg) and more severely affected individuals (requiring hand support to standing) to use the program. Given that voluntary leg-coordination deficits play less of a role than balance deficits in gait ataxia, 2 the exercise program focused on static and dynamic balance activities rather than direct gait training. Here we asked if a home-based balance exercise program could improve locomotor and balance abilities in individuals with degenerative cerebellar disease. Beyond these studies and some case studies, research concerning exercise and physical therapy for ataxia is severely lacking. 4, 7- 9 These studies, however, involved supervised exercise in a clinical setting. Following an intensive, high-level four-week training program, cerebellar patients showed the ability to improve motor skills and functional performance. 6ĭespite these considerable challenges, recent evidence suggests that individuals with cerebellar disease may benefit from long-term motor training. 5 It has therefore been reasoned that these patients may get limited benefit from rehabilitation that relies on motor learning. 4 However, efforts to restore normal movement are complicated because individuals with cerebellar disease also have deficits in motor learning. Without any available disease-modifying pharmacological treatments for ataxia, 3 physical therapy intervention is the primary treatment option.
2 These deficits lead to taxing and unsafe mobility. 1 These gait deviations have been closely linked to the severity of the individual's balance deficits. In walking, ataxia is evident by a shortened stride length, high step pattern, and decreased push-off and veering. Individuals with cerebellar degenerative disease exhibit progressive worsening of motor coordination, or ataxia.
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