A comprehensive rehabilitation program is required after Pelvic Fracture (PF). In a PF rehabilitation setting an effective treatment and a proper management of complications is supplied by an appropriate and reliable clinical assessment. In this literature-based update, we search on MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic reviews to find articles, scientific society guidelines and practioners experiences defining the rehabilitative management of clinically PF outcomes. Based on literature evidences and expert opinions, a set of key topics was collated to generate advices and recommendations to put into daily practice. Even if there are no high-quality evidence for rehabilitative interventions after PF in terms of duration and modality of therapy, rehabilitation setting, care pathways, and long-term functional outcomes, it is strongly recommended an early multidisciplinary intervention to improve recovery from PF.

Neuroinvasive West Nile Virus disease (WNND) can cause lasting cognitive and motor impairments, impacting autonomy and quality of life. Given the scarcity of research on the rehabilitative needs of patients with WNV infection, this study aims to fill a critical gap by assessing the rehabilitation needs of a real-world cohort of WNND patients. We retrospectively analyzed WNND patients who received early Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) evaluations during the 2022 outbreak in Veneto, Italy. Data included demographics, comorbidities, length of hospital stay, days at PMR evaluation, and rehabilitation duration until discharge or death, alongside objective examination findings and Barthel Index scores. Among 29 confirmed WNND patients, the median hospital stay was 20 days, with rehabilitation starting after a median of 7 days. Motor weakness affected 48.28% of patients, swallowing issues 6.90%, and respiratory issues 24.13%. A tailored rehabilitation protocol was designed for 96.55% of patients to address functional concerns and prevent complications. Barthel Index scores showed no significant change. Discharge settings were home (58.34%), other departments (25%), and rehabilitation facilities (16.67%). This study highlights the rehabilitation needs of WNND patients, particularly regarding neuromuscular deficits, swallowing, and respiratory issues, stressing the importance of a comprehensive rehabilitation strategy for improved outcomes.

We thank the authors of the Letter of Zehua Li, et al. (2021)(1) and the Editor for the opportunity to discuss our work more thoroughly. The comments on the article written by Piccione et al. (2021)(2) are certainly interesting and highlight limitations of the previously published article. However, we need to make some clarifications.

Apraxia is a neuropsychological disorder that impairs voluntary, purposeful movements, with “Gait apraxia” specifically affecting walking. Because of the lack of standardized diagnostic tools, in Italian, we translated and adapted the “Assessment of Walking Skills” (AWS) scale, originally developed for identifying gait apraxia in Alzheimer’s patients. The AWS includes 42 items that evaluate trunk and leg movements, useful for comparing the performance between patients and healthy controls. This translation and adaptation represent a critical step toward standardizing the AWS scale for the Italian population.

Parry-Romberg Syndrome (PRS) is a rare condition that can affect the musculoskeletal system, resulting in progressive motor disabilities. The existing literature provides limited evidence regarding physical therapy interventions for PRS. We present a case of a 69-year-old woman diagnosed with PRS with associated ataxia treated with a neurorehabilitative program aimed at improving motor function and balance. We administered various functional scales (SPPB, Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, Berg Balance Scale, and Tinetti Scale). Additionally, a standardized gait analysis was conducted in our Gait and Motion Laboratory. Following neurorehabilitative therapy, the patient exhibited significant positive changes in various motor outcomes, as demonstrated by improvements in scores on standardized tests (SPBB, Berg, TSK and Tinetti scales when compared pre- and post-treatment), as well as enhancements in biomechanical parameters and quality of life (FIM, SF-12). This case report suggests that neurorehabilitative therapy can be beneficial in improving motor function and balance in PRS patient, as well as other rare condition associated with disabilities.