The Effect of Aquatic Training on Proprioception of ankle joint in Patients with Stroke: A Randomized Clinical Trial

A common complication in patients with stroke, sensory impairments is particularly proprioception. There is evidence that hydrotherapies due to challenging their sensory system and the balance and hydrotherapies is one of the curative methods of this illness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of 6 weeks of aquatic training on proprioception of ankle joint in patients with stroke.

This study is a randomized clinical trial (RCT). 30 available male patients with chronic ischemic stroke were randomly divided into 3 equal groups of 10 subjects including two groups of training (shallow and deep) and one control group. Interventional groups had the aquatic exercise therapy program that included 6 weeks (3 sessions of exercises per week) and the control group did not experience any aquatic exercise. All groups before and after the intervention to assess proprioception with a goniometer pedal and the data analyzed using analysis of covariance and the Tukey post hoc test were analyzed.

The results showed that after adjustment for confounding proprioception before the intervention, the three groups, in terms of proprioception after the intervention, with no significant differences (P = 0.058).

Due to the lack of significant differences in ankle joint proprioception in the two groups is not recommended the protocol of aquatic training in this study could not be considered as a safe and new approach way to improve proprioception patients with chronic ischemic stroke regarded and used. Although it is possible to increase the duration or intensity of exercise and more exercise can affect the ankle joint proprioception.