Pol. Merkur. Lek (Pol. Med. J.), 2013, XXXV/209: 268-271

SUMMARY IN POLISH & ENGLISH. FULL ARTICLE ONLY IN POLISH.

The effect of standard kinesiotherapy combined with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation method and standard kinesiotherapy only on the functional state and muscle tone in patients after ischaemic stroke

Klimkiewicz P., Kubsik A., Jankowska A., Woldańska-Okońska M.

Medical University of Łódź, Poland, Department of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine Division of Physiotherapy Military Medical Faculty

The ischemic stroke is a disease of the central nervous system. Up until today there have been very few scientific findings concerning the most effective methods of patients rehabilitation. The authors of this article present two groups of patients after ischemic stroke who were rehabilitated with use of the following methods: kinesiotherapy combined with PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) method and kinesiotherapy only.
The aim of this study was to assess the impact of kinesiotherapy only and PNF method combined with kinesiotherapy on the functional state and muscle tone in patients after ischaemic stroke.
Material and methods. The study involved a group of 30 patients after ischaemic stroke. Patients were divided into two groups, each of them comprising 15 people. Group I was rehabilitated with the use of kinesiotherapy exercise and group II with the use of kinesiotherapy exercise combined with PNF method. To evaluate the patient before and after rehabilitation muscle tone Asworth scale was used and to assess functional status Rivermed Motor Assessment (RMA) scale was used.
Results. Both in group I and II an improvement in muscle tone and functional status were noted. Better results were observed in group II in which patients were rehabilitated with the use of kinesiotherapy exercise combined with PNF method. All results in group I and II displayed a statistically significant improvement in functional status and muscle tone.
Conclusions. The use of the classical kinesiotherapy only had a noticeably smaller impact on improvement of functional status and muscle tone in patients from group I than the use of both: classical kinesiotherapy and PNF method which were employed in group II.

Key words: ischemic stroke, classical kinesiotherapy, PNF

Pol. Merk. Lek., 2013, XXXV, 209, 268