Stroke
Conditions
Keywords
stroke, postural control, body awareness therapy
Brief summary
Affected balance capacity is common after a stroke due to paresis and sensory disturbances. The affected balance capacity may cause walking disturbances, falls and decreased mobility. Balance may be improved by physical therapy. A possible method for balance training is body awareness therapy, that was introduced in Sweden by Jacques Dropsy and Gertrud Roxendal. Earlier body awareness therapy was mostly used in psychiatric care but in the recent years the method has been used for people with long-tern pain, amputations and multiple sclerosis. Body awareness therapy includes exercises in lying, sitting and standing. Focus of the exercises are awareness of one´s movement behaviour, breathing patterns, resources and limitations. Postural control is an essential part in the exercises. Body awareness therapy could be used for people with stroke as a way to improve postural control. The aim of this study is to investigate if balance training using body awareness therapy can improve balance and walking in people after stroke. The interventions consists of body awareness therapy once a week for 8 weeks.
Interventions
OTHERBalance training using Body awareness therapy
Once a week, 1 hour for 8 weeks.Body awareness training may be performed by physiotherapist. Exercises are performed in standing, sitting and lying. Example of exercises are weight-balancing in standing and relaxation exercises.
Sponsors
Norrbacka-Eugenia Foundation
Örebro County Council
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Diagnosed stroke more than 6 months ago. Walking capacity of 100 meter with or without assistive device.
Exclusion criteria
* Medical or cognitive impairment that prohibits participating in the intervention.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bergs Balance Scale | Change from baseline in Bergs balance scale at 9 weeks | Test of functional balance. Includes 14 items all graded 0-4 where 0 indicate larger impairment. Total score is used here, maximum 56 and minimum 0. The Berg balance scale was developed for older patients but is a much used meausure of dynamic and static functional balance. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Timed Up and Go Test | Change from baseline in Timed Up and Go test at 9 weeks | test of functional mobility. Time is taken in seconds. The participants sits on a chair with armrests are then asked to rise, walk 3 meters, turn and walk back and sit down. |
| Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale | Change from baseline in Activities-specific Balance confidence scale at 9 weeks | 16 item questionnaire that investigates balance self-efficacy. Each items is a question; How secure are you that you will not fall when you...sweep the floor? The participant are asked to grade his/hers feeling of secutiry from 0, 10, 20 and so on up to 100. 0 is regarded low balance self-efficacy. The item responses are summed and divided by 16. |
Countries
Sweden
Participant flow
Recruitment details
Data collection was performed in the following order due to practical reason at four primary health care centres in Örebro county council; Kumla Primary health care center, October 2011- January 2012, Karla Primary health care centre, March 2012-June 2012, Nora and Brickegården Primary health care centre September 2012 to December 2012.
Participants by arm
| Arm | Count |
|---|---|
| Body Awareness Therapy Balance training using Body awareness therapy : Once a week, 1 hour for 8 weeks.Body awareness training may be performed by physiotherapist. Exercises are performed in standing, sitting and lying. Exemple of exercies are weight-balancing in standing and relaxation exercises. | 24 |
| Control No specific treatment. | 22 |
| Total | 46 |
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | Control | Body Awareness Therapy | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, Categorical <=18 years | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Age, Categorical >=65 years | 12 Participants | 10 Participants | 22 Participants |
| Age, Categorical Between 18 and 65 years | 10 Participants | 14 Participants | 24 Participants |
| Age, Continuous | 66 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 9 | 62 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 11 | 64 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 10 |
| Region of Enrollment Sweden | 22 participants | 24 participants | 46 participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Female | 7 Participants | 12 Participants | 19 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Male | 15 Participants | 12 Participants | 27 Participants |
Adverse events
| Event type | EG000 affected / at risk |
|---|---|
| deaths Total, all-cause mortality | — / — |
| other Total, other adverse events | 0 / 24 |
| serious Total, serious adverse events | 0 / 46 |
Outcome results
Primary
Bergs Balance Scale
Test of functional balance. Includes 14 items all graded 0-4 where 0 indicate larger impairment. Total score is used here, maximum 56 and minimum 0. The Berg balance scale was developed for older patients but is a much used meausure of dynamic and static functional balance.
Time frame: Change from baseline in Bergs balance scale at 9 weeks
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Awareness Therapy | Bergs Balance Scale | 52.3 units on a scale | Standard Deviation 4.8 |
| Control | Bergs Balance Scale | 47.8 units on a scale | Standard Deviation 7.4 |
Secondary
Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale
16 item questionnaire that investigates balance self-efficacy. Each items is a question; How secure are you that you will not fall when you...sweep the floor? The participant are asked to grade his/hers feeling of secutiry from 0, 10, 20 and so on up to 100. 0 is regarded low balance self-efficacy. The item responses are summed and divided by 16.
Time frame: Change from baseline in Activities-specific Balance confidence scale at 9 weeks
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Awareness Therapy | Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale | 68.6 units on a scale | Standard Deviation 20.3 |
| Control | Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale | 59.1 units on a scale | Standard Deviation 22 |
Secondary
Timed Up and Go Test
test of functional mobility. Time is taken in seconds. The participants sits on a chair with armrests are then asked to rise, walk 3 meters, turn and walk back and sit down.
Time frame: Change from baseline in Timed Up and Go test at 9 weeks
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Awareness Therapy | Timed Up and Go Test | 13.7 seconds | Standard Deviation 7.3 |
| Control | Timed Up and Go Test | 17.6 seconds | Standard Deviation 9.1 |