Investigation the Effect of Reactive and Proactive Exercises on Balance Performance and Balance Confidence in Stroke Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Stroke is the leading cause of disability in adults. The most prevalent disorder following a stroke is a balanced is order, and the primary goal of rehabilitation treatment in these patients is to improve balance. Objectives: This study aims to compare the effects of various balance therapy exercises on balance performance and balance confidence in individuals with stroke. Methods: In this double-blind clinical trial, 30 individuals with stroke were randomly assigned to one of three groups:Control, reactive, and proactive. Of these, 27 patients completed the study. Participants underwent 12 treatment sessions overfour weeks. The control group received conventional exercises, the reactive group received conventional exercises plus reactiveexercises, and the proactive group received conventional exercises plus proactive exercises. Balance performance was evaluatedusing the Mini-BESTest and the activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) questionnaire at three stages: Before treatment, aftertreatment, and during a two-month follow-up period. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 20. Results: Intra-group analysis indicated significant improvements in balance (F = 64.694; P < 0.001; eta p2 = 0.729) and balanceconfidence (F = 76.002; P < 0.001; eta p2 = 0.760). At the end of the treatment, the proactive group exhibited better balanceperformance compared to the reactive group, while the reactive group demonstrated higher balance confidence than the proactive group. However, these differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Balance performance and balance confidence improved significantly in all three treatment groups. However, the differences between the groups were not statistically significant. This study concludes that exercise therapy is an integral component of rehabilitation treatment for stroke patients.