Effect of 6-Week Balance Exercise by Real-Time Postural Feedback System on Walking Ability for Patients with Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Stroke causes balance dysfunction, leading to decreased physical activity and increased falls. Thus, effective balance exercises are needed to improve balance dysfunction. This single-blind, single-center randomized controlled trial evaluated the long-term and continuous effects of balance exercise using a real-time postural feedback system to improve balancing ability safely. Thirty participants were randomized into intervention (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups; 11 in each group completed the final evaluation. The effect of the intervention was evaluated by muscle strength of knee extension, physical performance (short physical performance battery, the center of pressure trajectory length per second, and Timed Up and Go test [TUG]), and self-reported questionnaires (modified Gait Efficacy Scale [mGES] and the Fall Efficacy Scale) at pre (0 week), post (6-week), and at follow-up (10-week) visits. The TUG and mGES showed a significant interactive (group * time) effect (p = 0.007 and p = 0.038, respectively). The intervention group showed significant decreasing time to perform TUG from pre- to post-intervention (p = 0.015) and pre-intervention to follow-up (p = 0.016); mGES showed a significant change from pre-intervention to follow-up (p = 0.036). Thus, balance exercise using a real-time postural feedback system can confer a positive effect on the walking ability in patients with chronic stroke and increase their self-confidence in gait performance.