Effectiveness of ankle strategy for improving balance in stroke patients

Abstract

Among the stroke patients balance impairment is a major problem. Ankle strategy with conventional physiotherapy may help to improve balance in stroke patients. Ankle strategy means turns or moves the body into an inverted pendulum in a balanced way by using ankle torque. Purpose: To test the hypothesis Ankle strategy with conventional physiotherapy is better than only conventional physiotherapy for improving balance in stroke patients. Objectives: To identify the effect of Ankle strategy for improving balance in stroke patients by using BBS consists of different position such as sitting to standing, standing unsupported, standing to sitting, transfers, standing unsupported with eyes close etc. Also to explore the commonly affected age group who were more affected. Methodology: the study was experimental. The data were collected by using a structural mixed type of questionnaire. 14 stroke patients with balance problem were selected conveniently from Neurology outdoor unit at physiotherapy department of CRP (Savar). After that 7 patients were randomly assigned to ankle strategy exercises with conventional physiotherapy group and 7 patients to the only conventional physiotherapy group for this study. Berg Balance Scale (BBS) was used to measure the Balance level of the patients. Results: Data was analyzed by using Mann Whitney “U” test and Microsoft Mac Excel Worksheet 2011 was used to decorate data according to BBS scale. For this study U value was 16.5. The critical value of U at p≤0.05 was 11. Improvements were not statistically significant. But according to mean difference this study has found greater improvement over control group. In post test, mean score of the experimental group was 45 and in control group were 39.86. The mean difference between the experimental and control group was 5.14. So, the mean difference indicate that balance more improved in experimental group then the control group. After observing pre-test and post-test, in this study statistically significant variables are- transfers, pick up object from the floor from a standing position and place alternative foot on step or stool while standing unsupported and other variables were statically not significant. Conclusions: ankle Strategy exercises along with conventional therapy are more effective than conventional therapy alone to improve balance of stroke patients. Keywords: Stroke patient, Balance in stroke patient, Ankle strategy, Conventional Physiotherapy.