title: The Additive Effects of Core Muscle Strengthening and Trunk NMES on Trunk Balance in Stroke Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate an additive effect of core muscle strengthening (CMS) and trunk neuromuscular electrical stimulation (tNEMS) on trunk balance in stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with acute or subacute stroke who were unable to maintain static sitting balance for >5 minutes were enrolled and randomly assigned to 3 groups, i.e., patients in the CMS (n=10) group received additional CMS program; the tNMES group (n=10) received additional tNMES over the posterior back muscles; and the combination (CMS and tNMES) group (n=10) received both treatments. Each additional treatment was performed 3 times per week for 20 minutes per day over 3 weeks. Korean version of Berg Balance Scale (K-BBS), total score of postural assessment scale for stroke patients (PASS), Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), and Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) were evaluated before and after 3 weeks of therapeutic intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 3 groups showed improvements in K-BBS, PASS, TIS, and K-MBI after therapeutic interventions, with some differences. The combination group showed more improvements in K-BBS and the dynamic sitting balance of TIS, as compared to the CMS group; and more improvement in K-BBS, as compared to the tNMES group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicated an additive effect of CMS and tNMES on the recovery of trunk balance in patients with acute or subacute stroke who have poor sitting balance. Simultaneous application of CMS and tNMES should be considered when designing a rehabilitation program to improve trunk balance in stroke patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Jae
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Min Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Yul
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Medicine, Dream Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Won
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Raphael Geriatric Hospital, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jayoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hong
keywords: Electrical stimulation; Exercise; Stroke