title: Balance evaluation techniques and physical therapy in post-stroke patients: A literature review.
abstract: A stroke (cerebrovascular accident - CVA) is a significant social-economic issue. Approximately 15-30% of all patients develop life-long disability, 20% require over 3 months of specialized care in healthcare institutions, and the majority of the patients never recover the ability to maintain a proper vertical position. Such CVA sequelae as balance disturbances not only negatively affect patients' daily physical activity, but also result in social isolation. A number of standardized clinical scales, tests, and instrumental examination techniques have been proposed for evaluating not only post-CVA balance function, but also any changes in this function following various interventions. Even though scientific literature lists numerous methods and instruments for the improvement of balance after a CVA, not all of them are equally effective, and there have been rather controversial evaluations of some techniques. Nevertheless, the application of the majority of the techniques as complementary or alternative measures to traditional physical therapy (PT) frequently yields better results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Medical Academy of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Eglė
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lendraitienė
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Medical Academy of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Agnė
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamošauskaitė
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Medical Academy of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Daiva
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Petruševičienė
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Medical Academy of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania. Electronic address: raimondas.savickas@kaunoklinikos.lt.
authors.forename: Raimondas
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Savickas
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Balance; Balance training; Post-stroke balance evaluation techniques; Stroke