Original Research Article
Year: 2020 | Month: May | Volume: 10 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 163-166
Additional Effects of Obstacle Training on Gait Speed and Balance in Chronic Stroke Patients
Harshvi Dedhia1, Suryakant Gadgerao2, Ashok K. Shyam3, Parag K. Sancheti4
1B.P.Th, 2Assistant Professor,
Sancheti Institute College of Physiotherapy, Pune, Maharashtra, India
3MS Ortho, Research Officer, 4Chairman,
Sancheti Institute for Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Corresponding Author: Suryakant Gadgerao
ABSTRACT
Background: Stroke survivors have an increased risk of falls and subsequent injuries due to their locomotor disabilities including impaired balance, decreased stride length, walking speed & endurance, compromised ability to step over objects which leads to difficulty in community ambulation. Community ambulation requires the ability to integrate walking with a variety of tasks in a complex and changing environment and the ability to successfully navigate in the community. Obstacle training represents the objects of environment such as toys on the floor, wires, potholes etc. Hence it is crucial to study the effect of obstacle training on functional ambulation.
Method-Twenty-three patients were recruited according to eligibility criteria out of which 21 patients completed the intervention. After recruitment, baseline 1 measurement was done using the outcome measures. For two weeks the patients continued only with conventional physiotherapy. After two weeks baseline 2 measurement was done. Then obstacle training along with conventional training which consisted of 6 supervised session over the period of 2 weeks and the patient had to step over 10 equidistant blocks and they had to do 12 rounds of the same. After intervention period post assessment was done.
Results-There are significant changes seen in the gait speed and balance post intervention. The mean change in the outcomes (p=0.00) were more in the intervention phase plus conventional phase rather than conventional phase alone.
Conclusion-This study concludes obstacle training can be used as an adjunct to conventional training for improving gait speed and balance.
Key words: Chronic stroke; obstacle training; rehabilitation; gait speed; balance.