RESUMEN
PURPOSE: This study was to verify the effect of muscle strengthening exercises using a Thera-Band on the lower limbs. METHODS: The design utilized for this study was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. A control group (16) and experimental group (16) were selected from stroke patients of K Oriental Medicine Hospital who were hospitalized for 5 months from December 2005 through April 2006. While only acupuncture therapy and physical therapy were used on the control group, acupuncture, physical therapy and additional muscle strengthening exercises using a red thera band were used on the experimental group. Muscle strengthening was performed 20 minutes per session, more than one session a day for 4 weeks. Hypotheses for this study were verified using Two-way repeated ANOVA and ANCOVA using a pre test score as a covariate. RESULTS: The experimental group with thera band muscle strengthening exercises showed a decrease in asymmetry weight loading percentage(F=14.704, P= .010), range of knee (Z=-3.15, P= .001) & deep tendon reflex score(Z=-2.52, P= .012) and moving performance(F=12.328, P= .001)compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: It is confirmed that muscle strengthening exercises using a Thera-Band can be used as an effective nursing intervention to improve the function of the lower limb of hemiplegic stroke patients.