Relationship between standing balance and side of hemiparesis and the effect of balance, functional and strengthening exercises according to involved side

Background and Decreased balance in standing and walking is a common problem of hemiparesis following stroke. The purpose of this study was to quantify and compare the balance control between right and left hemispheric stroke patients and to determine the effect of balance, functional and strengthening exercises on both groups of patients. Methods and Materials: This clinical trial was performed in Kahrizak Çharity Foundation in 1382. Thirty four hemiparetic patients secondary to stroke aged 52.41 ± 6.19 years and 37 ± 26.37 months since stroke participated in the study through simple non-probability sampling. Ônly those patients were enrolled into the study that the time since the onset of stroke was at least 12 months. Patients were assigned randomly to two groups. The balance was measured with BBS (Berg Balance Scale) and FMÂ (Fugl-Meyer Âssessment) before and after 12 sessions of intervention. Ône group received only functional and balance exercises. The other group received strengthening exercises in addition to functional and balance exercises. Ïndependent t, Mann-Whitney and Çhi-square tests were used for comparison between the two groups and to investigate the relationship, respectively. There was no significant difference in balance function measures (ordinal scale) between left and right hemiparesis with mean of 50.33±9.13 and 51.69±7.67, respectively (P=0.658). Regardless of the type of exercises, no difference was seen between left (mean difference, 10.86) and right (mean difference, 10.77) hemiparesis after intervention (P= 0.909). Significant difference was not seen between left (mean difference, 18.33) and right (mean difference, 15.88) hemiparesis after intervention in strengthening exercise group (P = 0.448). Çonclusion: Ôur results suggest that there are no difference in balance function between left and right hemiparesis and recovery of balance in these patients following strengthening exercises and it was not dependent on the involved side.