Effect of Ankle Strategy Exercises on Gait Parameters and Balance Confidence in Patients With Chronic Stroke

Stroke is a disorder in which the areas of the brain that control the sensory and motor nerves are damaged due to poor blood supply to the brain. As a result of which oxygen and nutrients supply to the brain tissues is interrupted. This is either caused by infarction or a bleed in the blood arteries supplying the brain. A stroke occurs when the cerebral blood supply is disrupted, resulting in a localized neurological deficiency. At least 80% of strokes are ischemic, meaning they are caused by a blockage in blood flow, while 15-20% are caused by bleeding into the brain, known as intracerebral hemorrhage. The occurrence of the sudden neurological deficit caused by bleeding in the brain or ischemic damage gives rise to the disturbances in motion, senses, perception, language, and other such functions on the opposite side to the affected side of the brain. A randomized controlled trial was carried out on 36 chronic stroke patients. By using the sealed envelope method, the sample was divided into two groups, an experimental group and a control group. For a period of four weeks, the control group only received traditional balancing exercises including standing with feet together, standing with one foot directly in front of the other, standing eye open to eye closed, standing multidirectional functional reach and March in place and walk sideways. While the experimental group received ankle strategy exercises in addition to balance exercises which included raising and lowering heels and forefeet, heel to toe walking, stepping up and down and left right and diagonal inclination of the body during standing. Interventions were given three days weekly for four consecutive weeks. Pre and post-intervention assessment were done by using data collection tools which includes ABC Scale of balance confidence, TUG scale and 10meter walk test.