Objective
To investigate the dose-related effect of trunk control training (TCT) using Trunk Stability Rehabilitation Robot Balance Trainer (TSRRBT) in chronic stroke patients with poor sitting balance.
Methods
This was a retrospective study of 38 chronic stroke patients with poor sitting balance that underwent TCT with TSRRBT. The participants were assigned either to the low-dose training (LDT) group (n=18) or to the highdose training (HDT) group (n=20). In addition to the conventional rehabilitation therapy, the LDT group received 5 sessions of TSRRBT intervention per week, whereas the HDT group received 10 sessions of TSRRBT intervention per week. The outcome measures were the scores on the Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS) and its subscales, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Functional Ambulation Classification (FAC), and the Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI). All outcome measures were assessed before the training and at the end of the 4-week training.
Results
After the 4-week intervention, TIS, BBS, FAC, and K-MBI scores showed improvement in both LDT and HDT groups. Furthermore, the improvements in TIS scores and its subscales were significantly greater in the HDT group than in the LDT group (p<0.05).
Conclusion
TCT using TSRRBT could be an additional treatment for the conventional rehabilitation therapy of chronic stroke patients with poor sitting balance. HDT may provide more beneficial effects on improving patients’ sitting balance than LDT.

Citations

• Investigation of the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Sitting Balance Scale in individuals with stroke
  Kübra Çapraz, Saniye Aydoğan Arslan, Teoman Çolak
  Acta Neurologica Belgica.2024; 124(1): 81.     CrossRef
• Effects of trunk exercises using virtual reality technology on trunk performance and impairment post stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis
  Norah A Alhwoaimel, Aqeel M Alenazi, Ahmad S Alhowimel, Bader A Alqahtani, Mohammed M Alshehri
  Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation.2024; 31(4): 399.     CrossRef
• A Strong Core for a Strong Recovery: A Scoping Review of Methods to Improve Trunk Control and Core Stability of People with Different Neurological Conditions
  Giorgia Marchesi, Greta Arena, Alice Parey, Alice De Luca, Maura Casadio, Camilla Pierella, Valentina Squeri
  Applied Sciences.2024; 14(11): 4889.     CrossRef
• Video Game-Based Trunk Exercises for Rehabilitation in Chronic Stroke Survivors: A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study
  Norah A. Alhwoaimel, Ann-Marie Hughes, Martin Warner, Aqeel M. Alenazi, Mohammed M. Alshehri, Bader A. Alqahtani, Ahmed S. Alhowimel, Richard Wagland, Simon Brown, Ruth Turk
  Sensors.2024; 24(21): 6830.     CrossRef
• Trunk training following stroke
  Liselot Thijs, Eline Voets, Stijn Denissen, Jan Mehrholz, Bernhard Elsner, Robin Lemmens, Geert SAF Verheyden
  Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• A Novel Trunk Rehabilitation Robot Based Evaluation of Seated Balance Under Varying Seat Surface and Visual Conditions
  Amre Eizad, Hosu Lee, Sanghun Pyo, Muhammad Raheel Afzal, Sung-Ki Lyu, Jungwon Yoon
  IEEE Access.2020; 8: 204902.     CrossRef
• Effects of Breathing Exercise in the Water on Pulmonary Function and Maximum Phonation Time of Children with Cerebral Palsy
  Je-Wook Lee, Gak Hwangbo
  Journal of The Korean Society of Physical Medicine.2019; 14(3): 91.     CrossRef

Objective
To investigate whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could improve the motor function of hemiparetic upper limb in chronic stroke patients through randomized double-blinded, sham-controlled study. Method: Twenty chronic post-stroke hemiparetic patients participated in this study. They were randomly assigned into either tDCS or sham group. Anodal tDCS was delivered on lesional primary motor cortex for 20 minutes in tDCS group and 30 seconds in sham group. Just after stimulation, both groups performed the shaping exercise for 30 minutes. Total 10 stimulation sessions (5 session/week for 2 weeks) were administered. Fugl-Meyer motor assessment, box and block test, grasp strength and FIM were assessed before stimulation, after 1 week of stimulation, after 2 weeks of stimulation, and 2 weeks after stimulation. Results: The upper extremity score of Fugl-Meyer motor assessment and box and block test improved significantly in tDCS group compared to sham group (p＜0.05). Their improvement lasted significantly for 2 week after stimulation. However, FIM, lower extremity score of Fugl-Meyer motor assessment and grasp power did not improved significantly in tDCS group compared to sham group. Conclusion: tDCS can improve the motor function of hemiparetic upper limb in chronic post-stroke patients, and the effects lasted after stimulation. tDCS may be used as an additional tool for stroke rehabilitation. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2009; 33: 5-11)