Effect of dual-task exercises on balance, risk for fall and activities of daily living dependency of patients with stroke: a quasi-experimental study.
Mona Mahmoud Ali, Dalia Abdallah Abdelatief, Mona Mohamed Saad and 1 others
PMID 41641361WHAT IT FOUND
Stroke patients completing 16 sessions of dual-task exercises showed significant improvements in balance, reduced fall risk, and greater independence in daily activities.
Without a control group, natural recovery or other concurrent care cannot be ruled out as the cause.
Key findings
01Patients improved significantly in both maintaining and changing posture, with high ability rising from 5.6% to 61.1% for maintaining posture and 9.3% to 63.0% for changing posture.
02High fall risk dropped from 68.5% of patients before the intervention to 1.9% after, while severe dependency in daily activities decreased from 75.9% to 9.3%.
03The intervention involved 16 sessions over eight weeks, progressing from single-task balance training to cognitive-motor and motor-motor dual-tasks, and finally to everyday functional activities.
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
No control group was used, so improvements could be due to natural recovery, time, or other concurrent therapies rather than the dual-task exercises alone. The study included patients in both acute and chronic stages of stroke, which may affect how results generalize to specific populations. Follow-up was short, so it is unclear if the benefits persisted after the intervention ended. The investigator both collected data and delivered the intervention, which introduces potential bias in assessments and treatment adherence.
Declared interests
The authors declared no financial support for the work or its publication.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the dual-task exercises caused the improvements. Since there was no control group, patients may have improved due to natural recovery, standard care, or other concurrent therapies.
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