title: Compelled Body Weight Shift Technique to Facilitate Rehabilitation of Individuals with Acute Stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The study evaluates the effectiveness of Compelled Body Weight Shift (CBWS) approach in the rehabilitation of individuals with stroke. CBWS involves a forced shift of body weight towards a person's affected side by means of a shoe insert that establishes a lift of the nonaffected lower extremity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven patients with acute stroke were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received a two-week conventional physical therapy combined with CBWS and the control group received only a two-week conventional therapy. Weight bearing, Gait velocity, Berg's Balance, and Fugl-Meyer's Scores were recorded before and after the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Weight bearing on the affected side increased in the experimental group and decreased in the control group. The increase in gait velocity with treatment was significant in both the groups (P< 0.05). However, experimental group (P= 0.01) demonstrated larger improvements in gait velocity compared to the control group (P= 0.002). Berg Balance and Fugl-Meyer scores increased for both the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The implementation of a two-week intervention with CBWS resulted in the improvement in weight bearing and gait velocity of individuals with acute stroke. The present preliminary study suggests that CBWS technique could be implemented as an adjunct to conventional rehabilitation program for individuals with acute stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1919 West Taylor Street (MC 898), Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Sambit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohapatra
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Aileen C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Eviota
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Keir L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Ringquist
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Sri Ranjini
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Muthukrishnan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1919 West Taylor Street (MC 898), Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Aruin