Physical Therapy of Stand up-Sit down Exercise for Stroke Patients

Abstract

Physical therapy program for stroke patients of our hospital mainly consists of stand-up to sitdown exercises on the basis of Hirschberg and Miyoshi's therapy, with a major goal of strengthening the muscle power of non-paralysis lower extremity. In this study, 58 stroke patients who could walk alone before training participated in the program. They were classified into 3 groups according to walking function at discharge from hospital; those who could walk alone, could walk with a help, and could not walk. In the 3 groups, age, paralysis side, term of exercise from onset, training period, term of admission, place after discharge from hospital were investigated. There was no statistical difference in age, paralysis side, term of exercise from onset, and term of admission between the groups. Patients who could walk alone showed significantly (p<0.01) shorter training period, compared with the other groups. A significant difference was observed in place after discharge among the 3 groups (p<0.01); those who could walk alone returned to their homes, but those who could walk with a help and could not walk tended to go to another hospital or institution.