Development of an Intelligent Balance Training System Providing Weight-bearing Feedback in Stroke Patients
Condition: Stroke
MeSH terms: Stroke
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The sit-to-stand and dynamic weight-shifting ability of stroke patients is highly associated
      with walking performance. Therefore, in order to improve the dynamic weight-shifting ability
      in sit-to-stand and parallel or tandem standing, a real-time visual or auditory feedback is
      used in our design to allow patients to realize the weight-bearing condition (by using load
      cells) in both sound and affected legs immediately. It can help patients to learn to control
      muscle to shift weight effectively which will improve patients' walking performance. By
      integrating physical therapy planning with electro-mechanical technology, the goal of this
      study is to develop a standing balance training system by requiring patients to control their
      center of pressure (COP) in performing sit-to-stand and maintain a standing posture via the
      use of their core and lower extremity musculature.
    

Detailed description: 
      1. Written informed consent must be obtained before any study specific procedures are
      undertaken.

        1. For healthy group: Participants will be recruited from the staffs and students in
           Kaohsiung Medical University (including Learning University), and healthy families of
           CVA patients in the university affiliated hospital.

        2. For stroke (CVA) group: We will ask the physical therapists in the university affiliated
           hospital to nominate the potential CVA participants . The physicians will determine if
           they would meet the inclusion criteria before participating the present study.

      2. The process of the experiment (brief describe)

        1. Written informed consent must be obtained before any study specific procedures are
           undertaken.

        2. Subjects who are recruited to participate in this experiment should provide the personal
           information forms first (ex: sex, age, height, weight, post-stroke duration, stroke
           type, hemiplegic side, ambulation devices etc.). Then, assessment (PASS, Berg Balance
           Scale, Timed Up and Go) will be conducted by a physical therapist at baseline.

        3. While the stroke patients after completing the 4 -times, and 8-times training program,
           the above-mentioned assessment conducted again by the same physical therapist. The
           healthy will not receive balance training, thus .only receive one assessment.
    

Intervention name(s): Balance function, gait ability, weight- distribution and weight-shifting; Weight- distribution and weight-shifting training program
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Healthy adults and stroke patients accepted two measurements within a week. Balance function, gait ability, weight- distribution and weight-shifting during sit-to-stand, quite standing, and weight-shifting toward the forward foot.; The stroke patients received a weight-shifting training program , 30 minutes/time, 2-5 days a week for 2-3 weeks(8 sessions). After training, they accepted a post-test within a week.
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Sequential Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Other