Background: In order to improve the daily life of stroke patients, it is necessary to restore walking performance. Improving gait performance is one of the main goals for stroke rehabilitation.
Objectives: To investigate the change in gait parameters through evaluation of one stroke patient before, during, and after wearing the weight vest.
Design: A case study.
Methods: This study is an ABA study design. In principle, one assessment per day (A1) was measured three times without wearing the weight vest. Intervention assessment (B) was performed 6 times while wearing the weight vest. The second baseline evaluation (A2) was measured three times with the weight vest removed again.
Results: The gait speed was increased when the weight vest was removed than when the weight vest was worn. Also, gait symmetry increased when wearing the weight vest.
Conclusion: Wearing the weight vest can reduce the gait asymmetry in stroke patients and increase the gait speed after wearing the weight vest.
Background: A number of researchers have attempted to improve the balance of stroke patients, however there is still a question as to whether taping is effective in increasing balance.
Objective: To determine the effect of paretic and non-paretic side taping on the balance ability in patients with stroke.
Design: A single-blind randomized controlled trial
Methods: This randomized single-blind controlled clinical trial with a repeated measures study included 45 subjects who were randomly assigned to paretic side taping groups (n=15), non-paretic side taping groups (n=15), and trunk exercise groups (n=15). Trunk exercise and paretic side taping groups had taping on the paralyzed erector spinae, while the non-paretic side taping group had taping on the non-paralyzed erector spinae. Trunk exercises were performed for 30 minutes to promote core muscles. The balance ability measured the center of pressure movement (paretic side, non-paretic side,forward, backward, limit of stability) in the sitting position. All measurements were evaluated using BioRescue.
Results: All three groups showed significant increase in all variables after 4 weeks. The paretic and non-paretic side taping groups had a significant increase in all variables after 30 min of attachment. However, there was no significant difference among the three groups.
Conclusions: Paralysis and non-paralysis taping improved the balance ability of patients with stroke in an immediate effect of 30 min. However, after 4 weeks of intervention, taping with trunk exercise did not differ from single trunk exercise. In future studies, various analyses need to be conducted through more diverse evaluations.