Dual task training effects on balance and hand functions of stroke patients.
JuHyung Park
PMID 29184311WHAT IT FOUND
Two stroke patients with right hemiplegia improved on hand dexterity and balance tests after three weeks of dual-task training.
Because only two people were treated and no comparison group was used, this shows what happened to them, not that the training caused the improvement.
Key findings
01Both participants showed higher scores on the Box and Block Test for hand dexterity and the Berg Balance Scale for standing balance after the three-week dual-task program.
02The dual-task program combined balance work on an unstable surface with simultaneous hand activities such as piling cups, cleaning mirrors, and inserting books.
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
Only two participants were studied, and both had right hemiplegia, so results cannot be generalized to other stroke presentations. There was no control or comparison group. Both participants were also receiving standard physical and occupational therapy five times a week, so it is impossible to separate the effect of the dual-task training from natural recovery or the concurrent therapy. The interrupted time series design with only pre- and post-intervention means does not allow for statistical testing of whether the changes exceed normal variability. The authors did not use brain imaging, so no mechanism for the observed changes was confirmed.
Declared interests
The supplied text contains no funding or conflict of interest statement.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that dual-task training caused the score improvements. Both patients received concurrent physical and occupational therapy five times a week, and with only two participants and no control group, the gains may reflect usual recovery or the standard therapy rather than the specific dual-task component.