Effects of upper extremity training in a standing position on trunk alignment in stroke patients.
Eun Ja Kim, Kyoung Bo Lee, Byong Yong Hwang
PMID 27799662WHAT IT FOUND
In 12 stroke patients, upper limb tasks done while standing reduced forward rounding of the upper back more than the same tasks done while sitting.
The lower back curve did not show this change.
Key findings
01Upper extremity training performed while standing reduced thoracic kyphosis in the standing group.
02Upper extremity training performed while sitting did not show a change in thoracic kyphosis or lumbar lordosis in the sitting group.
03The change in thoracic kyphosis differed between the standing and sitting groups, while the change in lumbar lordosis did not.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 12 patients were studied, so the result could be unstable. The report does not describe how patients were divided into sitting or standing groups, so baseline differences cannot be ruled out. The study measured only lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis, not scoliosis, balance, gait, falls, or daily function. No follow-up after the six-week training period is reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that standing upper limb training prevents falls or improves daily function. The study only measured trunk curve changes in 12 patients over six weeks and did not test balance, gait, falls, or activities of daily living.