Does training sitting balance on a platform tilted 10° to the weak side improve trunk control in the acute phase after stroke? A randomized, controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Trunk performance and sitting balance, especially lateral sitting control, are important predictors of functional outcome after stroke. However, no studies have focused only on trunk function in the frontal plane for persons with acute-phase stroke.

Objective: To investigate the effects of lateral sitting training on a tilting platform in persons with stroke.

Methods: An assessor-blinded, randomized, controlled trial was carried out involving inpatients at a stroke rehabilitation center. Patients were allocated to either an experimental group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). The experimental group sat without leg support on a platform tilted 10° to the paretic side in the frontal plane, while the controls sat on a horizontal platform. Both groups were asked to move their trunk laterally from the paretic side to the nonparetic side. In addition to conventional therapy, this training was performed 60 times/session, with 6 sessions/week. Trunk function was assessed using the Trunk Control Test (TCT), and the ability to move the trunk laterally was evaluated kinematically. Measurements were performed at baseline and after training. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to test the significance between and within treatments for each dependent variable.

Results: None of the demographic data differed between the groups. After training, a significant improvement was noted in the experimental group compared to the controls in the TCT and the ability for lateral trunk transference (P < 0.05, 1 - β = 0.98, effect size = 0.4).

Conclusion: Lateral sitting training on the tilting platform improved the impaired trunk function of persons with stroke.

Keywords: Acute stroke; Balance training; Tilted seat.