Physical Therapy Strategies for the Patient With Hysterical Motor Paralysis Disorder

It is not common in rehabilitation situation to encounter patients exhibiting paralysis or other disabilities which have no apparent organic basis. Even without organic causes for their signs and symptoms these patients often require comprehensive treatment and management. Patients with conversion disorder often pose particular difficulties because of diagnostic confusion and the lack of therapeutic strategies for rehabilitation management. We feel that systematic functional rehabilitation is helpful in resolving symptom and recovering normal function in the patient suffering from conversion disorder since it provides motivation and reduces reinforcements which contribute to sustained disabled state. This report describes the patient with hysterical motor paralysis who is successfully treated with structured physical therapy. The objectives of this report are to provide therapeutic guidelines for physical therapy and to emphasize the role of physical therapist in the assessment and treatment of hysterical paralysis.