Motor Function Problems in Hemiparetic Patients and the Effectiveness of Functional, Balance and Strength Exercises Protocol in Treatment of These Impairments

This study aimed to determine motor function problems in hemiparetic patients and the effects of functional, balance and strengthening (FBS) exercises protocol in treatment of these impairments. In 2004, thirty-four hemiparetic patients secondary to stroke aging 49.05±6.19 years and 34.9±26.37 months since stroke were recruited in this randomized clinical trial from Kahrizak Charity Foundation. Patients were assigned randomly to either an experimental group or a control group and their motor function was assessed using a functional, balance and strength scale (FBSS) before and after 12 sessions of intervention. The experimental group received all exercises protocol. The control group received all protocol except strengthening exercises. In experimental group measure of motor function increased from 346.29±75.72 to 447.47±76.94 (p<0.0001) and in control group increased from 343.18±72.75 to 360.18±71.8 (p<0.0001). Significant improvement after treatment was seen in the experimental group in measures of motor function index compared to control group (p<0.0001). Independent-samples t-test also identified a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group with respect to mean difference of motor function variable scores (p<0.0001). The results of this study support the effectiveness of muscle strength training in improving motor function in the chronic stages of hemiparesis following stroke. © 2006 Asian Network for Scientific Information.