Maze Control Training on Kinesthetic Awareness in Patients with Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Neurorehabilitation
• Physical Therapy
• Stroke Recovery

Background:

• Chronic stroke often impairs kinesthetic awareness, affecting balance and increasing fall risk.
• Conventional physical therapy is a cornerstone of stroke rehabilitation.
• Enhancing kinesthetic awareness is crucial for functional recovery after stroke.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of adding maze control training to conventional physical therapy.
• To assess the effects on kinesthetic awareness in chronic stroke patients.

Main Methods:

• Thirty chronic stroke patients were randomized into a control (conventional therapy) and experimental group (conventional therapy + maze control training).
• Intervention lasted 8 weeks (24 sessions).
• Evaluated sway index, risk of fall, and knee proprioception pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Both groups showed significant reductions in sway index and fall risk.
• The experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in knee proprioception at 30° and 75°.
• Significant between-group differences favored the experimental group for sway index, fall risk, and 75° knee proprioception.

Conclusions:

• Maze control training, when combined with conventional physical therapy, enhances kinesthetic awareness in chronic stroke patients.
• This combined approach offers a promising strategy for improving balance and proprioception post-stroke.