Does Intensive Task Specific Training Improve Balance After Acute Stroke?

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Intensive Task Specific Training With Traditional Follow up Care After Discharge From a Stroke Unit.

The aim of this study is to investigate whether additional task specific physiotherapy treatment and a self administrated home training program results in better balance compared to traditional follow up care.

Increased risk of falling is a major problem after stroke and impaired balance is one of the main reasons for falling. Early and intensive physiotherapy seems to be beneficial for functional outcome after stroke although it is still unknown whether one specific physiotherapy technique is better than another.

Comparison: Traditional follow up care by the community health care system with additional task specific physiotherapy three times a week and a daily self administrated home training program compared to traditional follow up care by the community health care system.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Admitted to the stroke unit with a diagnosis of stroke
• Living in the city of Trondheim
• Included 4 - 14 days after first sign of symptoms
• Modified Rankin Scale > 3 before admission to hospital
• Scandinavian Stroke Scale (SSS) less than 58 points and more than 14 points
• SSS leg item less than 6 points or SSS movement item less than 12 points
• Discharged to home or a rehabilitation clinic
• Mini Mental State Examination Score more than 20 points
• Able and willing to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Seriously heart- and lung-diseases
• Other diseases which makes it difficult to evaluate the function
• Already included in the trial