Nora Fritz leads development of clinical physical therapy recommendations for Huntington disease

Nora FritzThe Huntington Study Group (HSG), a world leader in spearheading research and conducting clinical trials in Huntington disease (HD), announced that the final Clinical Guidelines for Physical Therapy in Huntington's Disease and the final report for the Guidelines Development Group have been published in the journal Neurology. Development of the clinical guidelines was led by Wayne State Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Nora Fritz.

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Fritz's team found strong evidence to support aerobic exercise, alone or in combination with resistance training to improve fitness and motor function, and supervised gait training to improve gait in persons with HD.

The guideline is designed to answer the following PICO question: for individuals with HD (all stages) across practice settings, what is the effect of physical therapy interventions (e.g., exercise, physical activity interventions, task-specific training, gait and balance training, and respiratory training) on outcomes of mobility, balance, physical fitness, physical activity, respiratory function, and patient-reported outcomes compared with no intervention, wait list control, or social contact control? {Excerpted from the Clinical Guidelines for Physical Therapy in Huntington's Disease}

The study was funded by the Huntington Study Group, European Huntington Disease Network and the Griffin Foundation.

Read the guidelines

“Until we find a cure for Huntington’s disease, the primary goal is to optimize function and quality of life for our patients,” said Dr. Martha Nance, chair of the HSG Family Education Committee and director of the HDSA Center of Excellence at Hennepin County Medical Center. “These guidelines promote evidence-based care for the patients of today — by HD specialists and non-specialists alike — while at the same time identifying topics for future research.”

About HSG

Founded in 1993 in Rochester, NY, the Huntington Study Group (HSG) is a not-for-profit organization comprised of the world’s first and largest collaborative network of experts in Huntington disease. The mission of the HSG is seeking treatments that make a difference for those affected by HD. With more than 650 credentialed HD experts at over 125 HSG credentialed research sites worldwide, the HSG is a leader in conducting clinical trials for HD. The HSG also offers educational services like CME4HD ™ for healthcare professionals and care providers on treating patients with HD. For more information, visit our website www.huntingtonstudygroup.org

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