This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (4) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yang, Y.-R. Articles by Chan, R.-C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yang, Y.-R. Articles by Chan, R.-C. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Task-oriented progressive resistance strength training improves muscle strength and functional performance in individuals with stroke

Faculty and Institute of Physical Therapy, National Yang-Ming University and Section of Physical Therapy, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Ray-Yau Wang

Faculty and Institute of Physical Therapy, National Yang-Ming University and Department of Education and Research, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, rywang{at}ym.edu.tw

Kuei-Han Lin

Faculty and Institute of Physical Therapy, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

Mou-Yu Chu

Section of Physical Therapy, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Rai-Chi Chan

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of task-oriented progressive resistance strength training on lower extremity strength and functional performance in chronic stroke subjects.

Design: Single-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Medical centre and district hospital.

Subjects: Forty-eight subjects at least one year post stroke.

Interventions: Participants randomly allocated to two groups, control (n-/24) and experimental (n-/24). Subjects in the control group did not receive any rehabilitation training. Subjects in the experimental group were put on a four-week task-oriented progressive resistance strength training.

Main measures: Lower extremity muscle strength, gait velocity, cadence, stride length, six-minute walk test, step test, and timed up and go test.

Results: Muscle strength significantly improved in the experimental group for strong side muscle groups (ranged from 23.9% to 36.5%) and paretic side muscle groups (ranged from 10.1% to 77.9%). In the control group muscle strength changes ranged from 6.7% gain to 11.2% decline. The experimental group showed significant improvement in all selected measures of functional performance except for the step test. In the control group, the number of repetitions of the step test significantly decreased (-20.3%) with no change in other functional tests. There was a significant difference between groups for muscle strength and all functional measures. The strength gain was significantly associated with gain in the functional tests.

Conclusions: The task-oriented progressive resistance strength training programme could improve lower extremity muscle strength in individuals with chronic stroke and could carry over into improvement in functional abilities.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. J Sullivan, D. A Brown, T. Klassen, S. Mulroy, T. Ge, S. P Azen, C. J Winstein, and for the Physical Therapy Clinical Research Network Effects of Task-Specific Locomotor and Strength Training in Adults Who Were Ambulatory After Stroke: Results of the STEPS Randomized Clinical Trial Physical Therapy, December 1, 2007; 87(12): 1580 - 1602. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]