Biodex© training post-stroke for postural stability in the upper trunk: A pilot study.
Helena W Nel, Witness Mudzi, Elizabeth C Janse van Vuuren and 1 others
PMID 33102886WHAT IT FOUND
Adding Biodex upper-limb weight-bearing training to standard stroke rehabilitation did not improve upper trunk postural stability more than standard care alone in this pilot.
Both groups improved over the month, so the Biodex added no extra measurable benefit.
Key findings
01There was no statistically significant difference in improvement of upper trunk postural stability between the Biodex group and the control group at one month.
02Both the experimental and control groups received standard interdisciplinary rehabilitation, meaning any improvement cannot be attributed solely to the Biodex intervention.
03The study is a pilot with a small sample size of 15 participants, which limits the reliability of the findings and the ability to detect differences.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was very small (15 participants), making it a pilot study with low statistical power. Both groups received intensive standard interdisciplinary rehabilitation, which confounds the ability to attribute any improvements specifically to the Biodex intervention. Recruitment was difficult due to strict exclusion criteria, particularly cognitive impairment and aphasia, limiting generalisability. The intervention period was short (one month), which may not be sufficient to detect meaningful changes in postural stability.
Declared interests
The first author provided the Biodex equipment used in the study. No other specific conflicts of interest or funding sources are explicitly detailed in the provided text regarding commercial sponsorship.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that Biodex training is ineffective for all stroke outcomes. This pilot only examined upper trunk postural stability over one month in a small group receiving concurrent standard care. The null result means no extra benefit was detected for this specific outcome, not that the intervention has no clinical value.