Zohre Najafi
1, Fariborz Rezaeitalab
2, Mohsen Yaghubi
3, Zahra Sadat Manzari
4*1 Department of Nursing, Student Research Committee, Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
3 Department of Cardiac Anesthesiology, Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
4 Department of Medical- surgical, Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Stroke is the most
common debilitating neurological disease in adults. Therefore, rehabilitation
is a major consideration to reduce costs and relief disabilities. Biofeedback,
a newly recommended method is claimed to be able to improve the consequences
following stroke by enhancing the understanding of the psychological functions
of the body. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of
biofeedback on the motor– muscular situation in balance and ability to walk,
muscle stiffness (spasticity), hand muscles strength of stroke patients.
Methods: The present study was
a randomized clinical trial done in 2016. The participants were randomly
divided into 2 groups (case and control group). In the intervention group,
biofeedback was performed. The check list of main variables, including balance
and ability to walk, muscle stiffness
(spasticity) and hand muscles strength was completed by a physician before the
intervention and at the end of the intervention (16th session). The
statistical analysis was conducted, using SPSS version 13.
Results: The mean score of
balance in intervention group versus control group showed significant
differences. The results showed that by eliminating the effects of muscular
strength before the intervention, this variable had made improvements and significant
differences in both intervention and control groups after the intervention. Comparison
of the average spasticity showed that spasticity evaluation score before and
after the intervention revealed no significant difference between the two
groups.
Conclusion: Biofeedback therapy is a promising treatment modality
for improving the motor–muscular situation of patients after stroke.