The Application of Sling Exercise Training in People With Chronic Stroke

Keywords

• Core control
• Sling exercise training
• Gait
• Chronic stroke

Lead sponsor

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University is the lead sponsor of 204 studies on the registry; 58 are open to participants now.

Study arms

• Experimental
  Sling exercise training group

  Participants will practice core muscle exercise in different positions with sling systems (Redcord®, Norway).

  Other: Sling exercise training

• Active comparator
  Conventional training group

  Participants will practice balance exercise, including sit-to-stand, forward reaching, postural training on the therapeutic ball, maintaining standing balance with eyes open and progress to eyes close, and tandem stance.

  Other: Conventional balance training

Interventions

• OtherSling exercise training

  All participants will receive exercise training for 30 min/ session, 3 sessions/ week for 4 weeks (a total of 12 training sessions). The training includes 20 min of sling exercise training and 10 min treadmill training.

• OtherConventional balance training

  All participants will receive exercise training for 30 min/ session, 3 sessions/ week for 4 weeks (a total of 12 training sessions). The training includes 20 min of balance exercise training and 10 min treadmill training.

Primary outcomes

1. Gait performance: change in gait speed

   Using GAITRite® system to evaluate gait speed in comfortable speed

   Time frame: Change from baseline gait speed at 4 weeks and at 4 weeks after the intervention period (pre-, post-test and follow-up)

2. Gait performance: change in stride length

   Using GAITRite® system to evaluate stride length in comfortable speed

   Time frame: Change from baseline stride length at 4 weeks and at 4 weeks after the intervention period (pre-, post-test and follow-up)

3. Gait performance: change in single leg support time

   Using GAITRite® system to evaluate single leg support time in comfortable speed

   Time frame: Change from baseline single leg support time at 4 weeks and at 4 weeks after the intervention period (pre-, post-test and follow-up)

4. Gait performance: change in temporal and spatial symmetry index

   Using GAITRite® system to evaluate temporal and spatial symmetry index in comfortable speed

   Time frame: Change from baseline temporal and spatial symmetry index at 4 weeks and at 4 weeks after the intervention period (pre-, post-test and follow-up)

Secondary outcomes

1. Balance: change in movement velocity

   Using Balance Master®: Limits of Stability test to assess movement velocity during moving center of pressure to the highlighted target.

   Time frame: Change from baseline movement velocity at 4 weeks and at 4 weeks after the intervention period (pre-, post-test and follow-up)

2. Balance: change in directional control

   Using Balance Master®: Limits of Stability test to assess directional control during moving center of pressure to the highlighted target.

   Time frame: Change from baseline directional control at 4 weeks and at 4 weeks after the intervention period (pre-, post-test and follow-up)

3. Balance: change in maximal excursion

   Using Balance Master®: Limits of Stability test to assess maximal excursion during moving center of pressure to the highlighted target.

   Time frame: Change from baseline maximal excursion at 4 weeks and at 4 weeks after the intervention period (pre-, post-test and follow-up)

4. Balance: change in one leg stance

   Using Balance Master® to measure the sway under one leg standing

   Time frame: Change from baseline postural sway under one leg stance at 4 weeks and at 4 weeks after the intervention period (pre-, post-test and follow-up)

5. Balance: change in functional balance performance

   Using Berg Balance Scale (BBS) to assess functional balance performance. Berg Balance Scale is a 14-item scale which scoring 0-4 of each, ranges from 0 to 56, and higher score indicates better balance performance.

   Time frame: Change from baseline BBS at 4 weeks and at 4 weeks after the intervention period (pre-, post-test and follow-up)

6. Change in mobility performance

   Using Timed up-and-go (TUG) test to assess mobility

   Time frame: Change from baseline mobility performance at 4 weeks and at 4 weeks after the intervention period (pre-, post-test and follow-up)

7. Change in trunk control

   Using Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS) to assess ability of trunk control. The trunk impairment scale ranges from 0 to 23, and a higher scoring indicates a better trunk control.

   Time frame: Change from baseline TIS at 4 weeks and at 4 weeks after the intervention period (pre-, post-test and follow-up)

8. Change in trunk muscle strength: trunk flexors

   Using hand held dynamometer (Power Tract II) to measure muscle strength of trunk flexors

   Time frame: Change from baseline strength of trunk flexors at 4 weeks and at 4 weeks after the intervention period (pre-, post-test and follow-up)

9. Change in trunk muscle strength: trunk extensors

   Using hand held dynamometer (Power Tract II) to measure muscle strength of trunk extensors

   Time frame: Change from baseline strength of trunk extensors at 4 weeks and at 4 weeks after the intervention period (pre-, post-test and follow-up)

10. Change in trunk muscle strength: trunk lateral flexors

    Using hand held dynamometer (Power Tract II) to measure muscle strength of trunk lateral flexors

    Time frame: Change from baseline strength of trunk lateral flexors at 4 weeks and at 4 weeks after the intervention period (pre-, post-test and follow-up)