A dual-task home-based rehabilitation programme for improving balance control in patients with acquired brain injury: a single-blind,randomized controlled pilot study

Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate the safety, feasibility and effectiveness of a dual-task home-based rehabilitation programme on balance impairments among adult patients with acquired brain injury.

Design:

Single-blind, randomized controlled pilot study.

Setting:

Single rehabilitation centre.

Subjects:

Sixteen participants between 12 and 18 months post-acquired brain injury with balance impairments and a score <10 seconds on the One-Leg Stance Test (eyes open).

Intervention:

All participants received 50-minutes individualised traditional physiotherapy sessions three times a week for seven weeks. In addition, the intervention group (N = 8) performed an individualised dual-task home-based programme six days a week for seven weeks.

Main outcome measures:

The primary outcome measure was the Balance Evaluation System Test; secondary measures were the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale and Goal Attainment Scaling.

Results:

At the end of the pilot study, the intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in Balance Evaluation System Test scores (17.87, SD 6.05) vs. the control group (5.5, SD 3.53; P = 0.008, r = 0.63). There was no significant difference in improvement in Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale scores between the intervention group (25.25, SD 25.51) and the control group (7.00, SD 14.73; P = 0.11, r = 0.63). There was no significant improvement in Goal Attainment Scaling scores in the intervention (19.37, SD 9.03) vs. the control group (16.28, SD 6.58; P = 0.093, r = 0.63).

Conclusions:

This pilot study shows the safety, feasibility and short-term benefit of a dual-task home-based rehabilitation programme to improve balance control in patients with acquired brain injury. A sample size of 26 participants is required for a definitive study.

Keywords

Physiotherapy brain injury dual-task interference exercise programme patient-centred care

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