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The effect of aquatic therapy on postural balance and muscle strength in stroke survivors--a randomized controlled pilot trial
Cited 95 time in
Web of Science
Cited 100 time in Scopus
- Authors
- Issue Date
- 2008-10-29
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Citation
- Clin Rehabil. 2008 ;22(10-11):966-76.
- Keywords
- Aged ; Exercise Therapy/*methods ; Female ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Strength/*physiology ; Pilot Projects ; Postural Balance/*physiology ; Stroke/physiopathology/*rehabilitation/therapy ; Survivors ; Swimming Pools ; Treatment Outcome
- Abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of an aquatic therapy programme designed to increase balance in stroke survivors. DESIGN: A randomized, controlled pilot trial. SETTING: Rehabilitation department of a university hospital. SUBJECTS: Ambulatory chronic stroke patients (n = 25):13 in an aquatic therapy group and 12 in a conventional therapy group. INTERVENTIONS: The aquatic therapy group participated in a programme consisting of Ai Chi and Halliwick methods, which focused on balance and weight-bearing exercises. The conventional therapy group performed gym exercises. In both groups, the interventions occurred for 1 hour, three times per week, for eight weeks. MAIN MEASURES: The primary outcome measures were Berg Balance Scale score and weight-bearing ability, as measured by vertical ground reaction force during four standing tasks (rising from a chair and weight-shifting forward, backward and laterally). Secondary measures were muscle strength and gait. RESULTS: Compared with the conventional therapy group, the aquatic therapy group attained significant improvements in Berg Balance Scale scores, forward and backward weight-bearing abilities of the affected limbs, and knee flexor strength (P < 0.05), with effect sizes of 1.03, 1.14, 0.72 and 1.13 standard deviation units and powers of 75, 81, 70 and 26%, respectively. There were no significant changes in the other measures between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Postural balance and knee flexor strength were improved after aquatic therapy based on the Halliwick and Ai Chi methods in stroke survivors. Because of limited power and a small population base, further studies with larger sample sizes are required.
- ISSN
- 0269-2155 (Print)
- Language
- English
- URI
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=18955428
https://hdl.handle.net/10371/63604
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