ABSTRACT
Objective@#To investigate the effect of 6 weeks of home-based boxing training on trunk performance, balance, fear of falling, and level of therapy enjoyment in individuals with chronic stroke. @*Methods@#Eighteen participants with chronic stroke were randomly divided into boxing and control groups (9 patients per group). The boxing group received home-based boxing training for 25 minutes plus balance and trunk exercise training for 15 minutes, while the control group received only home-based balance and trunk exercise training for 40 minutes, three days a week for 6 weeks. The Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest), Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale, and Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) were assessed at baseline, and at 2, 4, and 6 weeks post-training. The Wilcoxon signed rank test and Mann–Whitney U-test were used to determine differences between pre- and post-training within and between groups. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. @*Results@#The TIS scores significantly increased from 13 to 17 points in the boxing group (p<0.05) compared to an increase from 15 to 17 points in the control group (p<0.05). The Mini-BESTest scores significantly increased from 14 to 22 points in the boxing group (p<0.05) compared to an increase from 17 to 20 points in the control group (p<0.05). There were no differences in the TIS, Mini-BESTest, ABC, and PACES scores between the two groups. @*Conclusion@#Home-based boxing training with balance and trunk exercise training had a similar training effect compared to home-based balance and trunk exercise training.
ABSTRACT
There are no the best treatments for stroke, thus stroke prevention program is proper management. Communityhealth aides have a responsibility to distribute information about health care to the villager community. Theyshould obtain correct knowledge about stroke. This analytic study purposed to compare the community healthaides’ knowledge by replying questionnaire before, after training program, and 1 month follow up between July-August 2008 at Primary Care Unit of Tambon Thapo, Muang District, Phitsanulok Province. They learnt aboutdefinition of stroke, type of stroke, risk factors of stroke and manners to avoid stroke within 2 hours. After baselineassessment, they replied the questionnaire again immediately after training program and 1 month follow up.Wilcoxon singed-rank test was used to compare their knowledge with significant level at 0.05. At baseline, 66%of 53 participants had a high level knowledge. After training immediately and 1 month follow up the scores weresignificantly increased from baseline (p = 0.001) but decreased from after training immediately (p = 0.011). Thetraining program could enhance community health aides’ knowledge about stroke but not sustained. It is necessaryfor them to encourage utilization their knowledge regularly.