The Effects of Additional Balance Training in Subacute Hemiplegic Stroke Patients

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects of additional balance training using three dimensional balance trainer on dynamic balance, gait symmetry and fall efficacy in subacute hemiplegic stroke patients. METHOD: This study designed pretest-posttest control group. Twenty subacute stroke patients were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group. All patients had conventional physical therapy. In addition, 10 patients in experimental group was trained with the three dimensional balance trainer (BalPro(R)) for 30 min/day, 5 day/week for 4 weeks. All participants were assessed by Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go test (TUG), gait symmetry, and Fall efficacy scale-Korea (FES-K) before and after training. RESULTS: All participants of both group showed statistically significant improvements in dynamic balance, gait symmetry and fall efficacy. More improvements were shown significantly in experimental group than those in control group in BBS, TUG, step length symmetry (p<0.05) and single limb support symmetry (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Additional balance training with conventional physical therapy is feasible and may be an effective tool to improve dynamic balance and gait symmetry in subacute patients.