Comparison Of Motor Imagery Therapy And Stretch Reflex On Hand Grip Strength And Dynamic Balance Control In Post Stroke Patients

Abstract

Background: The stroke happens while the supply of blood to a sector of your mind is decreased or interrupted. Both grip strength in the troubled hand and dynamic balance control are affected in post stroke patients. Objective: To compare the effects of motor imagery therapy and stretch reflex on hand grip strength and dynamic balance control in post stroke patients. Methods: Randomized clinical trial was conducted on forty-six post stroke patients. All were randomly allocated to motor imagery group and stretch reflex group. Both groups were treated for three sessions per week for twelve consecutive weeks. Mini-Mental Scale Examination was used as a screening tool while Dynamometer and Berg Balance Scale were used to measure hand grip strength and dynamic balance, respectively. Values were recorded before treatment and after treatment. Results: Participants N=46 were randomly divided into two groups, Group A (motor imagery group) and Group B (stretch reflex group). Mean age and standard deviation of Group A were 55.57 and 4.39 respectively while that of Group B were 52.39 and 4.72 respectively. There was no significant difference between the mean values of pre and post right and left hand grip strengths with P-values 0.570 and 0.843 respectively. There was a significant difference between mean values of pre and post BBS score with P-value 0.002. Mean values of both techniques had no statistically significant difference at baseline in right and left hand grip strengths as P value= 0.472 and 0.452. Mean value of both techniques had statistically significant difference at baseline for BBS score as P value=0.001. Within group there was significant difference between mean values of both techniques for hand grip strengths and BBS score as P value was <0.05 in motor imagery and stretch reflex groups. Conclusion: Both techniques motor imagery therapy and stretch reflex technique showed better results in improving hand grip strength and dynamic balance control in post stroke patients. Both techniques were found to be effective. But stretch reflex was found to be more effective than motor imagery therapy for hand grip strength while motor imagery therapy was found to be more effective than stretch reflex for dynamic balance control.