We provided physical therapy for a patient with cerebrovascular disease presenting with left hemiparesis due to infarction of the right parietal, temporal and occipital lobes. The patient had difficulty standing up because of an abnormal muscle tone caused by deep sensory disturbance of the affected lower extremity. Physical therapy was provided to improve sensory function. After seven sessions of physical therapy in one week, deep sensation and abnormal muscle tone improved. Load-bearing ability of the affected extremity increased and the amount of support needed to stand up decreased because of the improved muscle tone. Sensation was also recognizable following this improvement. It was believed that the amount of support needed to stand up decreased, resulting in a change in the amount of exertion needed to adjust muscle tone. This indicates that physical therapy is necessary for considering the interaction between sensory disturbance and muscle tone in patients with hemiparesis caused by cerebrovascular accidents.
