Effectiveness of physical rehabilitation on clinical outcomes of patients following stroke

Abstract

Background and purpose Stroke is a leading cause of gait impairment, resulting in long-term disability among adults, and frequently results in impaired mobility or motor function. More than half of the people with stroke are not able to walk, and walking impairments are still present among them due to abnormal muscle control, muscle weakness, abnormal muscle tone, abnormal muscle activation patterns, and altered energy expenditure, mostly affecting the paretic side. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to examine the effectiveness of using combined gait training and treadmill walking technique on selected clinical outcomes of patients with stroke.Patients and methods A quasi-experimental design was used to test the research hypotheses. A convenience sample of 50 adult patients with stroke were recruited.Setting This study was conducted in the outpatient clinics of neurology and physiotherapy unites at Shebin El Kom City, Menoufia University Hospital, Menoufia Governorate.Tools Interviewing Questionnaire, the Barthel Index, the Simplified Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement Scale, the Berg Balance Scale, the Oxford Scale, and the Modified Ashworth Scale were used to collect data.Results There was a statistically significant improvement in voluntary movement of subscale scores of the upper and lower limb and basic mobility after intervention. There was a statistically significant improvement in the mean scores of activities of daily living and body balance after intervention. There was a statistically significant improvement in the mean score of muscle tone and muscle strength after intervention.Conclusion Combined gait training and treadmill walking technique is effective in improving clinical outcomes in patients with stroke.Recommendation Rehabilitation nurses should be encouraged to implement the combined gait training and treadmill walking technique as a routine practice in rehabilitation facilities for patients with stroke.