Abstract
Structured Progressive Circuit Class Therapy (SPCCT) was developed based on task-oriented therapy, providing benefits to patients’ motivation and motor function. Training with Motor Imagery (MI) alone can improve gait performance in stroke survivors, but a greater effect may be observed when combined with SPCCT. Health education (HE) is a basic component of stroke rehabilitation and can reduce depression and emotional distress. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effect of MI with SPCCT against HE with SPCCT on gait in stroke survivors. Two hundred and ninety stroke survivors from 3 hospitals in Yangon, Myanmar enrolled in the study. Of these, 40 stroke survivors who passed the selection criteria were randomized into an experimental (n = 20) or control (n = 20) group. The experimental group received MI training whereas the control group received HE for 25 minutes prior to having the same 65 minutes SPCCT program, with both groups receiving training 3 times a week over 4 weeks. Temporo-spatial gait variables and lower limb muscle strength of the affected side were assessed at baseline, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after intervention. After 4 weeks of training, the experimental group showed greater improvement than the control group in all temporospatial gait variables, except for the unaffected step length and step time symmetry which showed no difference. In addition, greater improvements of the affected hip flexor and knee extensor muscle strength were found in the experimental group. In conclusion, a combination of MI with SPCCT provided a greater therapeutic effect on gait and lower limb muscle strengths in stroke survivors.
Highlights
Structured Progressive Circuit Class Therapy (SPCCT) was developed based on task-oriented therapy, providing benefits to patients’ motivation and motor function
Stroke awareness is administered in the context of the national stroke policies in countries worldwide26,27. This provides knowledge about the disease and other necessary information for the patients and caregivers, and helps to inform patients how to take care of themselves as well as to prevent recurrence. This present study aimed to investigate the effect of the combined techniques of Motor imagery (MI) and SPCCT on gait and lower limb muscle strength on the affected side in stroke survivors
Forty stroke survivors participated in the study, 26 males and 14 females
Summary
Structured Progressive Circuit Class Therapy (SPCCT) was developed based on task-oriented therapy, providing benefits to patients’ motivation and motor function. Training with Motor Imagery (MI) alone can improve gait performance in stroke survivors, but a greater effect may be observed when combined with SPCCT. A combination of MI with SPCCT provided a greater therapeutic effect on gait and lower limb muscle strengths in stroke survivors. The key www.nature.com/scientificreports components of this method are to provide group therapy with a minimum of 2 participants under 1 therapist supervisor and encouraging repeated practice exercises with continual progression. The key www.nature.com/scientificreports components of this method are to provide group therapy with a minimum of 2 participants under 1 therapist supervisor and encouraging repeated practice exercises with continual progression16 This has advantages over other techniques and has been shown to increase therapy dosage and reduce treatment costs. The previous studies have been conducted on upper limb function and only a few studies have reported its use in the lower limb
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