Citation

Park SW, Lee KJ, Shin DC, Shin SH, Lee MM, Song CH. J. Phys. Ther. Sci. 2014; 26(6): 899-903.

Affiliation

Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Sahmyook University, Republic of Korea.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Society of Physical Therapy Science)

DOI

10.1589/jpts.26.899

PMID

25013292

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of underwater treadmill gait training on the balance ability of stroke patients. [Subjects] Twenty-two patients with stroke were randomly assigned to an underwater treadmill group (n =11) or a control group (n =11). [Methods] Both groups received general rehabilitation for 30 min per session, 5 times per week, over a 4-week period. The underwater treadmill group received additional underwater gait training for 30 min per session, 5 times per week, over the same 4-week period. Static and dynamic balances were evaluated before and after the intervention. [Results] The means of static and dynamic balance ability increased significantly in both groups, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. [Conclusion] Compared to the general rehabilitation program, underwater treadmill gait training was not more effective at improving the balance ability of stroke patients than land-based training.

Language: en