Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can improve balance, posture, and muscle tone; support mobility; maintain flexibility and range of motion; and ease muscle pain and stiffness. The therapy may include the use of exercises, massage, machines, and adaptive devices such as foot splints or wheelchairs. The goal is to help people stay healthy, strong, and mobile.

For young children with muscle weakness, physical therapy may help them learn how to move and interact with their environment. In addition, physical therapists can teach parents ways to facilitate young children's growth and development. Stretching exercises can also improve a young child’s posture and help prevent contractures (muscle tightness).

The physical therapist can help people learn new ways to sit, stand, or move around as muscle weakness progresses. The therapist can also teach people how to use different muscles to do the work of muscles they can no longer use.

When started early, an individualized exercise program that has been prescribed by a physician may also help late-onset Pompe patients stay conditioned and maintain their strength. There are also specific resistance exercises, such as inspiratory muscle training, that may strengthen the diaphragm muscles.

Assistive Devices

Assistive devices may help patients with weakened leg, pelvic, and trunk muscles get around. Some may benefit from orthotics--braces that support the ankle and foot or extend over the knee--while others may find that a cane or walker is needed for walking.

In other cases, patients who are extremely weak may consider a wheelchair. There are also a number of other mobility and household aids, such as shower chairs and mechanical lifts, that may prove helpful to patients and their families at advanced stages.

Learn more about assistive devices and other ways to make it easier to live with Pompe disease >

Please note that patients should always consult their physicians before starting any form of supportive therapy.

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