Effects of the augmented feedback frequencies on body weight distribution and functional balance during standing in patients with stroke: a pilot study

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of different feedback frequencies on body weight distribution and functional balance in patients with stroke. Eighteen individuals with acute and subacute stroke were randomly assigned into 0 %, 20 %, 50 %, and 100 % feedback group. In additional to conventional Physical Therapy, all patients practiced standing their balance on the Balance Performance Monitor (BPM) 10 times per day, 5 days a week for 2 weeks. During the subjects received visual feedback from light on the monitor, verbal feedback and manual guidance. Body weight distribution (BWD) were evaluated before and 1-day after training. Descriptive statistics were used in this study. The result showed that after training the median of percent difference in body weight distribution had tendency to decrease more in 100 % and 50 % feedback group 95.2 % (23.8-99.2) and 72.2 % (32.0-96.2), respectively than in 20 % and 0 % feedback 42.4 % (41.0-44.8) and 41.1 % (26.1-83.3), respectively. This indicated that providing feedback to patients in acute and sub-acute stage at high frequency was more effective in learning weight bearing in standing than low frequency as they were in learning stage. External feedback helped augment the insufficient internal feedback. In conclusion, high feedback frequency had tendency to improve the body weight distribution better than low feedback frequency.