RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of electrical stimulation over the trunk in improving trunk control during early stroke rehabilitation. METHOD: Thirty-two acute and subacute hemiparetic stroke patients were enrolled in this study. All patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups, control group or electrical stimulation (ES) group. Both groups received the same physical therapy for 3 weeks. ES group received additional electrical stimulation over the posterior back muscles for 30 minutes a day, 5 days per week for 3 weeks. Outcome measurements included Korean version of Berg balance scale (K-BBS), total score of postural assessment scale for stroke patients (PASS), trunk control subscale of postural assessment scale for stroke patients (PASS-TC), trunk control test (TCT), Korean version of modified Barthel index (K-MBI), and motricity index (MI). These measurements were checked before and after treatment. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics and initial values between two groups. Following 3 weeks therapy, the changes of TCT and PASS-TC scores in the ES group were significantly higher than those of the control group (p <0.05). The changes of K-BBS, PASS, and K-MBI scores in the ES group tend to be higher than those in the control group. However the differences were not statistically significant. The changes of PASS-TC and TCT scores were significantly correlated with the changes of BBS and K-MBI scores at discharge. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that electrical stimulation over the trunk may be a beneficial therapeutic technique in improving trunk control in acute and subacute hemiparetic stroke patients.