Effects of Home-based Program in Improving Sitting Balance and Upper Limb Functions in Patients With Stroke

A Home-Based Program of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and Task-Related Trunk Training Improves Trunk Control in Patients With Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

The investigators hypothesize that application of electrical stimulation would augment the effects of exercises in patients with stroke. Combined electrical stimulation with exercises for 6 weeks would lead to earlier and greater improvement in motor functions when compared with placebo-stimulation with exercises.

Previous studies have shown that repeated sensory inputs from transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) could enhance brain plasticity and conical motor output. Home-based rehabilitation is shown to be effective in motor recovery and improvement of functional ability in stroke rehabilitation.

The aim of this study was to develop a home-based rehabilitation program to investigate whether combined electrically induced sensory inputs through TES with task-related trunk training (TRTT) in a home-based program would induce earlier and/or greater improvement in, seated reaching distance and trunk control when compared with placebo TES and TRTT, or control with no active treatment in subjects with chronic stroke.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Diagnosis with first stroke for more than 6 months
2. Discharge from all rehabilitation services
3. Ability to understand and follow commands
4. A carer able for helping the home program
5. No contraindication to assessment protocol and training

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Cognitive disorder with Abbreviated Mental Test less than 7
2. Unilateral neglect with Star cancellation Test less than 47
3. Sensory deficit
4. Unable to give informed consent
5. Unable to speak either Cantonese or English or Mandarin
6. Commodity that preclude them from undergoing training and assessment
7. Neurological disease other than stroke