Development of Supportive-Educative Range of Motion Exercise for Post-stroke Patients: A Pilot Study

Abstract

The purpose of this pilot study was to assess of home care intervention on post-stroke related outcome of range of motion and muscle strength. Sample in 40 participants were divided into the intervention group and control group and included in this study according to the following criteria: post-stroke period of <12 months with hemiparesis, age of ≥18 years, and willingness to participate in the study. The intervention was carried out by nurses by providing education for 2 consecutive days and mentoring for 5 consecutive days, while the control group was given standard care and measured using a grip track, handheld dynamometer, and goniometer examination on June to September 2019. For the intervention group, paired t-test analysis confirmed a significant increase in the mean upper extremity muscle strength before (35.770 ± 46.063) and after (51.073 ± 50.866) the 7 day intervention (p = .002), whereas the control group showed a value 36.570 ± 33.684 and then 31.400 ± 31.760 p = .256 and lower extremity strength before (3.627 ± 1.585) and after (4.365 ± 1.698) the 7-days intervention (p = .000), whereas the control group showed a value 3.657 ± 1.671 and then 4.043 ± 1.849 p = .013. Almost all the items assessed from Range of Motion (ROM) in the upper and lower extremities showed a significant increase (p < .05). Supportive-educative ROM exercise significantly contributed to an increase in the average muscle strength and ROM in post-stroke patients.