Effectiveness of Task Oriented Swiss Ball Training on Trunk Control and Functional Balance in Patients with MCA Stroke

BACKGROUND: Stroke is defined as the immediate loss of neurological function caused by an interruption of the blood flow to the brain or the rupture of blood vessels in the brain. Trunk control is one of the most important indicators of functional recovery after stroke. Any weakness or increased tone in trunk muscles, increase in postural sway, failure of dynamic stability and difficulties in transferring weight all negatively affect the activity performance of patients with fine trunk control and proper weight transfer it is possible to secure and protect the body’s upright posture and also in maintaining balance. Trunk rehabilitation initiated as early as possible less than 30 days was found to be most effective than later. In the task oriented swiss ball training approach movements are carried out as an interaction between many systems in the brain and is organized around goal and constrained by the environment. This training particularly works in helping to develop gross motor skills, postural stability, trunk control, balance and coordination. OBJECTIVE: To study the effectiveness of protocol based rehabilitation to improve pain, range of motion and quality of life in patients following Total knee replacement. METHODOLOGY: Quasi-experimental research design with purposive sampling was used. Study setting was at KMCH Coimbatore. Eighteen patients were allocated in the study and 10 patients in each group. Group A received Task oriented swiss ball training whereas. Group B received the conventional physiotherapy treatment. Posttest measures were taken after 6 weeks of training. The training was supervised programme. OUTCOME MEASURES: Trunk control was assessed using Trunk impairment scale and Functional balance was assessed using Berg balance scale. RESULTS: The data were analyzed using independent ‘t’ test and paired ‘t’ test at 5% level of significance. The pretest mean value showed that there is no significant difference between two groups and posttest mean value showed improvement in functional balance. Values of trunk control were decreased after training in group A than in Group B. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that Task oriented Swiss ball training are effective to improve trunk control and functional balance among the patients with MCA stroke