1Department of Physical Therapy, Emergency Medical Rehabilitation, Kangwon National University, 346 Hwangjo-gil, Dogye-eup, Samcheok, 25945, Rebulic of Korea
2Department of Physical Therapy, Kangwon National University, 346 Hwangjo-gil, Dogye-eup, Samcheok, 25945, Rebulic of Korea
3Department of Physical Therapy, Kangwon National University, 346 Hwangjo-gil, Dogye-eup, Samcheok, 25945, Rebulic of Korea
*Corresponding Author E-mail: sjm7897@hanmail.net
Online published on 24 December, 2019.
Forced weight support and whole-body vibration exercise are being widely used in patients with stroke to improve balance and gait. Thirty patients with stroke participated in the experiment.
A 10-mm insole underneath the non-affected lower foot and Galileo equipment were used in the experimental group. Only a 10-mm insole was provided underneath the shoe in the control group, and all activities of daily living were performed without the whole-body vibration exercise. The Berg balance scale (BBS), Timed up & go (TUG), and bio rescue balance tests before and after intervention were conducted in all subjects. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS version 22.0.
There were statistically significant differences in the BBS test result, limit of stability (LOS), and 10 compared to comparator controls. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the TUG test result and foot print (FP). The experimental group displayed statistically significant differences between the BBS, TUG, FP, LOS, and 10mWT items in the before-and after-intervention comparisons. On the contrary, the control group displayed statistically significant differences in the BBS, TUG, FP, and 10mWT items; however, there was no statistically significant difference in the LOS.
In balance and gait, the forced weight support and whole-body vibration exercise yielded symmetrical body weight support and improved the walking speed of the patients with stroke.
Stroke, forced weight support, whole-body vibration, balance, gait
