Article

OBJECTIVE: To compare the immediate effects of an external focus to enhance
lateral body weight shift after stroke. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial.
SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation hospital. SUBJECTS: Twenty patients after
stroke (11 males; mean (SD)
age 72.2 (7.4) years; duration of illness 56 (14)
days; there were 9 (45%) left-sided strokes) with impaired sitting balance were
randomly allocated into two groups either external focus (n = 10) or internal
focus (n = 10). INTERVENTION: Patients in the external focus group, while
sitting, were instructed to shift as much weight as they could sidewards to an
external point next to their hip. Patients in the internal focus group were
instructed to shift as much weight as they could sidewards to their hip. MAIN
OUTCOME MEASURES: Immediate lateral body weight shift as well as
anterior-posterior deviation was measured in centimetres with a sensor mat.
RESULTS: Patients in the external focus group achieved greater lateral body
weight shift than those in the internal focus group (mean shift (SD) 8.7 (2.6) cm
vs. 4.5 (3.3) cm, respectively; P = 0.006). However, there were no significant
differences in anterior-posterior deviation (mean shift (SD) 2.3 (1.3) cm vs. 1.2
(1.2) cm, respectively; P = 0.08). CONCLUSION: Using an external focus may lead
immediately to an enhanced lateral body weight shift while sitting, without
increasing anterior-posterior deviation.
CI - (c) The Author(s) 2014.

Langue : ANGLAIS