ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation pattern exercise on the balance, gait ability, and depression in patients with chronic stroke. METHODS: Thirty patients with chronic stroke were assigned randomly to an experimental (n=15) or control (n=15) group. The experimental group performed aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation pattern exercise. The control group performed ground proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation pattern exercise. Training was conducted once a day for 30 minutes, five days per week for six weeks. The balance ability was measured using the Berg balance scale. The gait ability was measured using the 10 Meter walk test. Depression was measured using the Beck depression inventory. RESULTS: As a result of a comparison within groups, the experimental and control group showed a significant difference for balance, gait ability, and depression after the experiment (p<0.05). In a comparison between the two groups, the experimental group, in which aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation pattern exercise was applied, showed more significant changes in balance, gait ability, and depression than the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Based on these results, aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation pattern exercise effectively improved the balance, gait ability and depression in patients with chronic stroke.