BACKGROUND

The majority of poststroke individuals tend to exhibit reduced loading over the paretic lower extremity, leading to increased postural sway, and gait asymmetry predisposing to a higher number of falls. Compelled body weight shift (CBWS) therapy is an innovative method aimed to force body weight shift toward the paretic extremity. Proprioceptive training (PT) is another method that improves balance ability contributing to the increase in muscle activity. Both the CBWS and PT have been shown to improve the quality of life in stroke subjects.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to compare the effects of CBWS therapy and PT in improving balance, kinematic gait parameters, and muscle strength among acute stroke patients.

METHODS

Thirty subjects were nonrandomly divided into two groups where both groups received routine physiotherapy for two weeks in addition to which the CBWS group incorporated a 15 mm platform placed under the unaffected extremity while the PT group included incorporated proprioceptive exercises on the ground and foam mat. Functional balance, functional mobility, videographic analysis of degrees of hip flexion, knee hyperextension, and ankle dorsiflexion along with gait speed and satiotemporal gait parameters were obtained.

RESULTS

The pre-post analysis within both groups revealed statistically significant improvement in all parameters except for the kinematic parameters of gait. However, no statistically significant difference was observed between the CBWS and PT groups.

CONCLUSION

CBWS can be used as an alternative to PT in the rehabilitation of stroke patients concerning balance and gait. CBWS provided during active treatment sessions results as effective as those seen as a result of all-day therapy.