Comparison of Effects of a Proprioceptive Exercise Program in Water and on Land the Balance of Chronic Stroke Patients

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to compare changes in balance ability of land exercise and underwater exercise on chronic stroke patients. [Subjects] A total of 60 patients received exercise for 40 minutes, three times a week, for 6 weeks. [Methods] Subjects from both groups performed general conventional treatment during the experimental period. In addition, all subjects engaged in extra treatment sessions. This extra treatment consisted of unstable surface exercise. The underwater exercise group used wonder boards in a pool (depth 1.1m, water temperature 33.5 °C, air temperature 27 °C) dedicated to underwater exercise, and the land exercise group used balance mats. [Result] The joint position sense, sway area, Berg Balance Scale showed significant improvements in both groups. However, the joint position sense test, sway area, and Berg Balance Scale showed there was more improvement in the underwater exercise group than in the land exercise group. [Conclusion] The results suggest that underwater exercise is more effective than land exercise at improving the joint position sense and balance of stroke patients.

Evaluating the effectiveness of aquatic therapy on mobility, balance, and level of functional independence in stroke rehabilitation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Of the total pooled sample, 386 were males and 281 were females. In two studies, 17,18 participant characteristics were only provided for those included in the final analysis. The mean age of participants was 59.6 years (range 43.8-68.6 years) and the mean time since stroke onset was 12.7 months (range 0.98-43.2 months).…”

Effect of aquatic dual-task training on balance and gait in stroke patients

“…Although there were differences in therapeutic environment, advanced studies and this study do have similarities. Aquatic dual-task training reportedly has a positive effect on balance in stroke patients 13 ) . Aquatic dual-task training uses water resistance to improve muscle strength, thus improving balance ability 13 , 14 ) .…”

“…Aquatic dual-task training reportedly has a positive effect on balance in stroke patients 13 ) . Aquatic dual-task training uses water resistance to improve muscle strength, thus improving balance ability 13 , 14 ) . The buoyancy of water also supports body weight, increasing posture stability and enhancing balance 10 ) .…”

The effect of olfactory stimuli on the balance ability of stroke patients

“…Most of the research on quiet standing makes use of a kinetic measurement method in which the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral displacements of the COP are calculated on a force platform 11 ) . In general, evaluation of balance ability of stroke patients depends on the following four indices: mean COP velocity (velocity), area of the 95% confidence ellipse (area), average anterior-posterior displacement (Ymean), and average medial-lateral displacement (Xmean) 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ) .…”