Indian Journal of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy - An International Journal
  • Year: 2016
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue: 1

Efficacy of Cryotherapy v/s Thermotherapy with PNF Technique in Improving Hemiplegic Gait

  • Author:
  • Ahlaam Choughley1, Nabila Soomro2, Faisal Yamin3, Atiq-ur-Rehman3, Saima Aziz4, Nazi Zeya4
  • Total Page Count: 6
  • Page Number: 114 to 119

1Senior Lecturer, Department of Physiotherapy, Institute of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

2Professor and director, Institute of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

3Assistance Professor, Department of Physiotherapy, Institute of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan

4Senior Lecturer, Department of Physiotherapy, Institute of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan

Online published on 14 December, 2015.

Abstract

Cold or Ice therapy is mostly used in the management of various acute and chronic conditions. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of Cryotherapy or Thermotherapy with Hold-Relax technique on hemiplegic patients in improving gait parameters.

80 hemiplegic patients were selected from Neurological ward and outpatient department of Civil Hospital and Rabia Moon Trust. Simple Random Sampling technique was used. After baseline assessment, Individuals were divided into control and experimental groups through general neurological Performa (Annex 1). Each group had 40 patients, in which control group was treated by Thermotherapy with hold Relax Technique while the experimental group was treated by Cryotherapy with hold relax Technique. Both the groups received the treatment for 30 minutes, 5 days a week for 6 weeks; the treatment was free of cost. Then the patients were re-assessed on the 3rd and 6th week of the study through Pedograph gait analysis Pre-test of gait parameters (Annex 2).

After 6th week of treatment, Cryotherapy with Hold Relax Technique was the treatment which showed that there was a significant difference between the pre and post values among both groups in different weeks. Cryotherapy with Hold relax techniques also showed significant difference in gait parameters such as stride length, cadence and walking velocity (p <0.05).

Cryotherapy with Hold relax technique was found much effective in improving gait parameters thus improving walking abilities in hemiplegic patients.

Keywords

Cryotherapy, Thermotherapy, Stride Length, Cadence, Walking velocity, Pedograph, Hold Relax technique