The Role of Sitting Balance Exercises in Minimizing the Risk of Fall among Patients with Stroke

Abstract

Background: Cerebrovascular accident (stroke) frequently results in problems with balance, which increase the risk of falling. Patients with stroke might improve their balance skills and reduce the occurrence of falls by engaging in sitting balance training exercises.     

Objectives: The current study aims to examine the effect of sitting balance exercises on the risk of fall in patients with stroke.    

Methodology: A quasi-experimental design was performed on sixty patients with acute stroke by using a purposive sampling method. The recruited patients were divided to experimental and control groups with 30 patients each. Patients in the experimental group were followed to perform sitting balance exercises two sessions per day for 14th days, whereas the patients enrolled in the control group received a routine conventional care.        

Results: More than half of patients participating in the experimental group were within the age groups of 60-69 years old and accounted for 53.3%, 56.7% of the experimental group were female while 46.7% of the control group were males. Before applying sitting balance exercises, the experimental group's overall mean score for the level of falling incidences risk level was 1.2±0.40 and 2.1 ±0.86 after implementing the intervention. There is a significant statistical difference in the level of falling risk between the two groups after implementing the interventional protocol at a P<0.001.

Conclusion: Performing of sitting balance exercises immediately after diagnosis with stroke was significantly improved stetting balance and decreased the incidence of falling in patients with stroke