Effects of Home-based Program in Improving Sitting Balance and Upper Limb Functions in Patients With Stroke

Experimentální: electrical stimulation with exercises

The TENS + TRTT group received TENS simultaneously with the TRTT at home under the instruction of a physical therapist.

Behaviorální: electrical stimulation with exercises

electrical stimulation with exercises

Komparátor placeba: placebo stimulation with exercises

The TENS + TRTT group received placebo-simultaneously with the TRTT at home under the instruction of a physical therapist.

Behaviorální: placebo stimulation with exercises

placebo stimulation with exercises

Žádný zásah: Control

Subjects in this group did not receive any active training. Home safety advice and health education including diet control and blood pressure monitoring were given to the subjects during the home-visit and telephone follow-up.

Trunk Impairment Scale

The Trunk impairment scale is a 2 to 4-point ordinal scale. The scale assesses static and dynamic sitting balance and trunk coordination. The maximum scores on the static sitting balance, dynamic sitting balance, and coordination subscales are 7, 10, and 6 points, respectively. The total score of Trunk impairment scale ranges between 0 and 23 points, with a higher score representing better trunk control. The static sitting balance subscale evaluated the trunk stability with both feet on the floor and with the legs crossed. The dynamic sitting balance subscale evaluated the ability to perform trunk side flexion. The coordination components evaluated the ability to selectively rotate the upper and lower parts of the trunk.

Forward Sitting Functional Reach Test

Sitting Functional Reach was used to assess the limits of stability in reaching activities. The sitting functional reach test measures how far forward, from a sitting position, a subject can bend forward to reach without losing his/her balance. A longer reaching distance indicated a better trunk control.