A STUDY ON EFFECT OF PHYSICAL THERAPY INTERVENTION WITH AND WITHOUT VISUAL AND VERBAL CUES ON BALANCE TRAINING IN THE RECOVERY STAGE OF STROKE

Abstract

Objective: Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. Balance impairment is a common issue among stroke survivors, leading to increased fall risk and decreased quality of life. Visual and verbal cues have shown the potential in improving balance in stroke patients. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of conventional therapy alone versus conventional therapy combined with visual and verbal cues in balance training during stroke recovery.

Methods: Thirty participants with post-stroke hemiplegia were randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group. The control group received conventional physical therapy, while the experimental group received additional visual and verbal feedback. The Berg Balance Scale was used to assess balance on the 1^st, 15^th, and 30^th days of the study.

Results: Both groups showed improvements in balance over the course of the study. On the 15^th day, the experimental group had a significantly higher mean Berg Balance Scale score compared to the control group (p = 0.001). On the 30^th day, the experimental group still had a higher mean score, although the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.048).

Conclusion: The addition of visual and verbal cues to conventional therapy showed a greater effect on balance training during stroke recovery compared to conventional therapy alone. These findings support the potential benefits of incorporating visual and verbal feedback in stroke rehabilitation programs. Further research should explore the long-term effects and sustainability of this approach to optimize balance recovery in stroke survivors.