title: Effects of additional, dynamic supported standing practice on functional recovery in patients with sub-acute stroke: a randomized pilot and feasibility trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of additional dynamic versus static passive standing performed by patients with sub-acute stroke supervised by trained helpers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assessor blinded, randomized pilot and feasibility trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neurological rehabilitation centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Non-ambulatory participants in the sub-acute phase after stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Usual care plus additional standing training, consisting of either dynamic standing practice in a modified standing frame (intervention group, n=14) or static standing practice in a conventional standing frame (control group, n=14) for 5 weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Feasibility was assessed through occurrence of adverse events, patient satisfaction and operability of the technical device handled by trained helpers. Preliminary effectiveness was assessed with the Berg Balance Scale (primary outcome) and other measures of physical functioning.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Trained helpers were capable to apply the intervention, and no adverse events occurred. Both groups were comparable at baseline. Within-group changes tended to be higher for the intervention group, but did not reach a significant level except for the Functional Ambulation Categories. Specifically, median pre-post improvements in the Berg Balance Scale tended to be higher in the dynamic (20, inter quartile range (IQR): 2-33 points) than in the static standing group (4.5, IQR: 0-16 points; U=62; P=0.052; effect size=0.478).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In severely affected individuals after stroke, dynamic supported standing practice can be performed safely by trained helpers. In a larger-scale phase III study, a total of 116 patients would be needed to prove the preliminary effectiveness found in this study.
authors.affiliation: Hochschule für Gesundheit, Department of Applied Health Sciences, Physiotherapy Program, Bochum, Germany Rehaklinik Zihlschlacht, Neurorehabilitation Centre, Zihlschlacht, Switzerland tobias.braun@hs-gesundheit.de.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.affiliation: Rehaklinik Zihlschlacht, Neurorehabilitation Centre, Zihlschlacht, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Detlef
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.affiliation: Hochschule für Gesundheit, Department of Applied Health Sciences, Physiotherapy Program, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thiel
authors.affiliation: Hochschule für Gesundheit, Department of Applied Health Sciences, Physiotherapy Program, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Dörte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zietz
authors.affiliation: Rehaklinik Zihlschlacht, Neurorehabilitation Centre, Zihlschlacht, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zutter
authors.affiliation: Hochschule für Gesundheit, Department of Applied Health Sciences, Physiotherapy Program, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grüneberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011187:Posture; D020127:Recovery of Function; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Stroke; balance; dynamic supported standing practice; exercise; physical therapy modalities