Dynamic balance training at home

[Guest guest]

Balance Training for HMSN (CMT)

Disabil Rehabil. 2006 Dec 15;28(23):1455-9.

Effects of dynamic balance training during standing and stepping in patients

with hereditary sensory motor neuropathy.

Matjaciæ Z, Zupan A.

Institute for Rehabilitation, Republic of Slovenia.

PURPOSE: To quantitatively evaluate the effects of dynamic balance training in

patients with hereditary sensory motor neuropathy (HSMN).

METHODS: Sixteen patients with HSMN were randomly assigned to either an

experimental or control group. The intervention session consisted of passive

stretching, muscle strengthening and dynamic balance training during standing

and stepping, which differed in that the experimental group used commercially

available balance training mechanical apparatus while the patients from the

control group were physically managed by a physiotherapist. The intervention

period was 12 days. Balance and mobility functions were assessed by means of

Berg Balance Scale, Up & go test and 10-m walk test before and after the

intervention period.

RESULTS: The within-group comparison (1-way repeated measures ANOVA) for the

experimental group showed statistically significant improvement (p < 0.05) in

Berg Balance Scale, Up & go test and 10-m walk test, while within-group comparison

for the control group showed statistically significant improvement only in Berg

Balance Scale (p < 0.05). The between-group comparison (2-way ANOVA) showed

larger improvement in the experimental group, however, these differences were

not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION: Dynamic balance training is useful training modality for patients

with HSMN. When exercised in the balance training mechanical apparatus used in

this study enables efficient balance and mobility training without requiring

physical assistance from a physiotherapist or a caregiver, which opens new

possibilities for continuing and more frequent physical exercise and mobility

training of patients with HSMN also at their homes.