A Single Case Report of Healing Through Specific Martial Art Therapy: Comparison of MRI to Clinical Resolution in Severe Cervical Stenosis: A Case Report

Author(s): KISLING, G.

Abstract: A 76-year-old patient with chronic and severe spinal cord compression secondary to cervical stenosis, a cervical osteophyte, and a herniated intervertebral cervical disk had lasting resolution of symptoms after completing a specific, martial art-based, physical therapy program. We wanted to determine if there were structural changes in the cervical spine that could account for the prompt resolution of symptoms.Design: A 76-year-old female completed 8 weeks of a specific, martial art-based, physical therapy. The pretherapy and posttherapy cervical magnetic resonance images (MRIs) were compared. A follow-up evaluation was done at 1 year.Results: The patient was symptom-free within 8 weeks of the start of therapy. She remained symptom-free at 1 year follow-up evaluation. There were no obvious structural differences in the pretherapy and posttherapy MRI studies.Conclusions: Resolution of symptoms was directly related to the specific martial art therapy. However, there were no changes in the pretherapy and posttherapy MRI studies, suggesting a significant adaptation to the spinal compression had occurred. These data suggest a viable option to surgery in elderly patients with chronic and severe cervical spinal stenosis.

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