Article

Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability, with walking
impairment being a devastating indicator of chronic post-stroke hemiparesis.
Limited resources exist for individual treatments; therefore, the delivery of
safe group exercise therapy is highly desired. OBJECTIVE:
To examine whether the
application of group-based motor imagery practice to community-dwelling
individuals with chronic hemiparesis improves gait. METHODS: Sixteen individuals
with chronic hemiparesis from two community centers participated in the study,
with eight from each center. Four participants in each center received five weeks
of the experimental intervention, consisting of group-based motor imagery
exercises of gait tasks, followed by five weeks of control treatment of motor
imagery exercises for the affected upper extremity. Four other subjects in each
center received the same treatments in reverse order. Pre- and post intervention
measurements included clinical and biomechanical gait parameters. RESULTS:
Comparisons within (pre- vs. post) and between treatments (experimental vs.
control) indicated no significant change in any gait variable. Nevertheless, the
verbal reports of most participants alluded to satisfaction with the experimental
intervention and to an increase in self-confidence. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the lack
of evidence for the effectiveness of group-based motor imagery practice in
improving gait among individuals with chronic hemiparesis, the contrast between
the measured outcomes and the positive verbal reports merits further inquiry.

Langue : ANGLAIS