Preliminary study of the effect of low-intensity home-based physical therapy in chronic stroke patients.
This study was a preliminary examination of the effect of low-intensity home-based physical therapy on the performance of activities of daily living (ADL) and motor function in patients more than 1 year after stroke. Twenty patients were recruited from a community stroke register in Nan-Tou County, Taiwan, to a randomized, crossover trial comparing intervention by a physical therapist immediately after entry into the trial (Group I) or after a delay of 10 weeks (Group II). The intervention consisted of home-based physical therapy once a week for 10 weeks. The Barthel Index (BI) and Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement (STREAM) were used as standard measures for ADL and motor function. At the first follow-up assessment at 11 weeks, Group I showed greater improvement in lower limb motor function than Group II. At the second follow-up assessment at 22 weeks, Group II showed improvement while Group I had declined. At 22 weeks, the motor function of upper limbs, mobility, and ADL performance in Group II had improved slightly more than in Group I, but the between-group differences were not significant. It appears that low-intensity home-based physical therapy can improve lower limb motor function in chronic stroke survivors. Further studies will be needed to confirm these findings.
Faculty of Physical Therapy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. jhlin@kmu.edu.tw
Jau-Hong
JH
Lin
Ching-Lin
CL
Hsieh
Sing Kai
SK
Lo
Huei-Ming
HM
Chai
Long-Ren
LR
Liao
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty / Q000379:methods*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013624:Taiwan; D016896:Treatment Outcome