Physical Therapy in the treatment of trunk control and balance of patients after stroke

Abstract

Introduction. Stroke is an important circulatory disorder, presenting hemiplegia as primary manifestation, also bringing out spasticity, body misalignment, disturbance of balance, loss of muscle strength, and consequently, decreases of the autonomy and quality of life. Objectives. Assess the degree of static balance alteration, dynamic and impairment of the trunk after stroke in patients divided into two groups: one that performed a specific physiotherapy protocol and other who remained in their physiotherapy care routine, without following the intervention group protocol. Method. Quantitative research, exploratory, interventional, experimental and descriptive. Six patients were evaluated by Scale of Disabilities Trunk (EDT) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and subsequently divided into intervention group (IG) and control group (CG). Results. The patients who were in the IG had increased scores on both scales on the final assessment, but, being a small sample, the results were not statistically significant. Conclusion. A specific protocol to work with trunk control and balance is extremely important for patients after stroke, because it facilitates the performance of daily activities and promotes improvement in gait, avoiding the risk of falls.