title: Balance training using an interactive game to enhance the use of the affected side after stroke.
abstract: [Purpose] Stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases are major causes of adult mobility problems. Because stroke immobilizes the affected body part, balance training uses the healthy body part to complete the target movement. The muscle utilization rate on the stroke affected side is often reduced which further hinders affected side functional recovery in rehabilitation. [Subjects and Methods] This study tested a newly-developed interactive device with two force plates to measuring right and left side centers of pressure, to establish its efficacy in the improvement of the static standing ability of patients with hemiplegia. An interactive virtual reality game with different side reaction ratios was used to improve patient balance. The feasibility of the proposed approach was experimentally demonstrated. [Results] Although the non-affected-side is usually used to support the body weight in the standing position, under certain circumstances the patients could switch to using the affected side. A dramatic improvement in static standing balance control was achieved in the eyes open condition. [Conclusion] The proposed dual force plate technique used in this study separately measured the affected and non-affected-side centers of pressure. Based on this approach, different side ratio integration was achieved using an interactive game that helped stroke patients improve balance on the affected side. Only the patient who had suffered stroke relatively recently benefited significantly. The proposed technique is of little benefit for patients whose mobility has stagnated to a certain level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronic Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Hsiang
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ciou
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronic Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yuh-Shyan
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Information Management, Hwa Hsia University of Technology, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Chen
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University and Hospital, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Ching
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, National Central University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Department of Digital Technology Design, National Taipei University of Education, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Luen
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: Affected side; Standing balance; Stroke
references.citation: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004 Oct 18;(4):CD004129
references.pmid: 15495079
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 2002 Nov;5 Suppl:1089-92
references.pmid: 12403993
references.citation: Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1987 Nov;68(11):777-81
references.pmid: 3675175
references.citation: Phys Ther. 1997 May;77(5):553-8
references.pmid: 9149764
references.citation: IEEE Trans Rehabil Eng. 2000 Sep;8(3):430-2
references.pmid: 11001524
references.citation: Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1988 Mar;69(3 Pt 1):195-7
references.pmid: 3348720
references.citation: J Phys Ther Sci. 2015 May;27(5):1593-6
references.pmid: 26157270
references.citation: Gait Posture. 2005 Nov;22(3):267-81
references.pmid: 16214666
references.citation: Stroke. 1988 Dec;19(12):1497-500
references.pmid: 3201508
references.citation: Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2000 Jul-Aug;79(4):369-76; quiz 391-4
references.pmid: 10892623
references.citation: Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 1998 Sep-Oct;77(5):388-93
references.pmid: 9798829
references.citation: J Rehabil Med. 2006 Jan;38(1):3-9
references.pmid: 16548079