NCT04362202

A Water-based Sequential Preparatory Approach and Stroke

A Water-based Sequential Preparatory Approach Versus Conventional Aquatic Training in Stroke Patients: a Randomized Controlled Trial With a One-month Follow-up

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 33 (actual)
• Sponsor: I.R.C.C.S. Fondazione Santa Lucia · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 25 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Many studies hypothesize that people who have suffered stroke could benefit from water-based exercises to improve their strength and ability to perform the activities of daily living. A Cochrane Review systematically synthesized and compared the effects of aquatic and land-based therapies on the activities of daily living (ADL) of patients following stroke and found that water-based exercises improved strength and ADL. A recent review indicates that RCTs comparing aquatic methods in both environments are lacking. The same movements in water and on dry land that target postural stability and gait require different competences. For example, the postural instability that occurs while squatting in water was enacted on land by sitting on a therapy ball. Furthermore, land-based conventional rehabilitation is generally task oriented, customized and challenging and follows a specific preparatory sequence of exercises according to patients' disabilities. Therefore, the investigators believe that a sequential preparatory approach (SPA), based on increasing difficulty and following a specific sequence of preparatory exercises (from the simplest to the most complex), should also be used in an aquatic environment.

Conditions

• Stroke

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Water-based Sequential Preparatory Approach	The experimental training consists of a sequential and a preparatory approach aimed at enhancing dynamic postural stability. The exercises followed a specific sequence starting from a kneeling position, proceeding to a sitting position and ending with a supine position. Step exercises preparatory for gait were performed using a step and two floating aids. Gait exercises were performed first with the upper limbs placed on two floating aids and then during a dual motor task (i.e., catching a ball thrown by the therapist). The control aquatic therapy consists of water-based exercises, in line with suggestions of the Hydrotherapy Association of Chartered Physiotherapists Guidance on Good Practice in Hydrotherapy. These consisted of warm-up exercises, stretching exercises for the lower limbs, recruitment exercises and walking exercises during each phase of gait (single stance, swing and double stance).

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-02-01
• Primary completion: 2019-09-30
• Completion: 2019-11-30
• First posted: 2020-04-24
• Last updated: 2020-04-24

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Italy