Effects of Pilates and Neurofeedback Exercises on Balance and Cognitive Disorders in Chronic Stroke Patients

Disabilities among patients with brain stroke are great based on brain involvement. All these problems leads to decrease self-esteem، reluctance to walk، depression and mental deterioration. The use of appropriate treatment methods to improve the situation of patients with CVA is essential. The use of appropriate treatment methods to improve the situation control of patients with CVA is essential. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of neurofeedback and Pilates exercises on balance and cognitive disorders in chronic stroke patients. Methods and materials: This study is conducted in 6 patients aged 60 ± 2 which randomly divided into three groups (Pilates، neurofeedback and control). Before the training، the patients were evaluated using the balance Berg and MMSE tests. The first group exercises Pilates for 16 sessions and one hour every other day. Neurofeedback group Received 16 half-hour sessions every other day over o1 and o2 protocols. Control group subjects Received only routine exercises of physiotherapy. During treatment phase، subjects in the fourth and eighth sessions evaluated by the same tests. The post-tests were performed after completion of treatment. To investigate the hypothesis of the study the methods d Cohen and bilateral mixed analysis of variance (within-group and between-group) were used. Results showed that the rate of recovery of balance disorders in Pilates and neurofeedback group against the control group was significant. However، the recovery of cognitive impairment was significant only in Pilates group. Also، the recovery rate of abnormalities in the two groups showed no significant difference. according the results of this study، Pilates and neurofeedback have positive impact on the problems of stroke patients and can be used as a complement method to enhance the rehabilitation of stroke patients.