Effectiveness of trunk exercises for improving balance and trunk control among patients with stroke in Bangladesh

In stroke survivors, impaired trunk control and standing balance severely restrict mobility, yet standard physiotherapy, which is largely limb-focused, often leaves these core deficits unaddressed. This study aimed to compare the short-term effects of task-specific trunk exercises on plinth and physio ball versus standard physiotherapy on standing balance and trunk function.

This assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial enrolled 60 stroke patients between October 2022 and March 2023 and compared a task-specific trunk exercise program on plinth and physio-ball surfaces with standard physiotherapy in a three-week intervention period (four sessions per week). Primary outcomes were standing balance, measured by the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and trunk function, including static and dynamic sitting and coordination, assessed with the Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS).

In post-treatment, the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater improvements (p < 0.05) in balance and trunk control compared to the control group, including larger gains on the BBS, greater increases across all TIS subscales, and higher overall TIS scores. Within-group effects were large in both groups, and between-group comparisons favored the intervention, indicating a clinically relevant short-term advantage for task-specific trunk training on plinth and physio-ball surfaces (p value < 0.05).

Task-specific trunk exercises on plinth and physio-ball surfaces produced greater short-term improvements in trunk control and balance than standard physiotherapy among the stroke patients. This therapeutic approach can significantly improve balance and sit-to-stand function in stroke survivors, enhancing rehabilitation outcomes.