Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a local vibration stimulus training
programme on postural sway and gait in stroke patients. DESIGN: A randomized
controlled trial with two groups:
a local vibration stimulus training programme
group and a sham group. SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation centre. SUBJECTS:
Thirty-one chronic stroke patients. INTERVENTIONS: Both groups underwent a
standard rehabilitation programme. The local vibration stimulus training
programme group (n = 16) participated in the local vibration stimulus training
programme for 30 minutes a day, five times a week, for six weeks. The sham group
(n = 15) participated in a sham local vibration stimulus training programme for
30 minutes a day, five times a week, for six weeks. MAIN MEASURES: A forceplate
was used to measure postural sway under two conditions: standing with eyes open
and eyes closed. Gait ability was measured using the GAITRite system. RESULTS: In
postural sway, greater improvements in the postural sway distance with eyes-open
(-11.91 vs. 0.80) and eyes-closed (-20.67 vs. -0.34) conditions and postural sway
velocity with eyes-open (-0.40 vs. 0.03) and eyes-closed (-0.69 vs. -0.01)
conditions were observed in the local vibration stimulus training programme
group, compared with the sham group (P < 0.05). In gait ability, greater
improvement in gait speed (15.06 vs. 2.85), cadence (8.46 vs. 1.55), step length
(7.90 vs. 3.64), and single limb support time (0.12 vs. 0.01) were observed in
the local vibration stimulus training programme group, compared with the sham
group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that local vibration
stimulus training programme is an effective method for improvement of the
postural sway and gait ability of chronic stroke patients.

Langue : ANGLAIS