The effect of intensive weight-bearing exercise especially for affected lower limb on balance and walking function of stroke patients

Objective: To study the effect of intensive weight-bearing exercise especially for affected lower limb on balance and walking function in hemiplegic stroke patients. Method: Forty stroke patients were assigned randomly to either an experimental group (20 cases) or a control group (20 cases). Both groups received routine rehabilitation treatment and balance training. In addition, experimental group received intensive weight-bearing exercise especially for affected lower limb with biofeedback of weight-bearing ratio. Balance training was performed in both groups for 30min daily, 6 times a week for 6 weeks. Subjects were assessed with Berg balance Scale (BBS), timed up go test (TUGT) and modified functional reach test(MFRT) before and after 6 weeks of training. Result: After 6 weeks of training, both groups scored higher in BBS and MFRT (P0.01), and required less time to perform TUGT than before training (P0.01). Experimental group scored better in the three assessments (BBS、TUGT and MFRT) than control group with significant difference (P0.01,P0.05,P0.05). Conclusion: Intensive weight-bearing exercise especially for affected lower limb was superior to the routine balance training in improving balance and walking function of stroke patients.