Original Research Article
Year: 2020 | Month: August | Volume: 10 | Issue: 8 | Pages: 215-222
Comparison of Balance in Sub-Acute Stroke Patients with Dominant Lobe versus Non-Dominant Lobe Involvement of Age Group 25 to 60 Years Using Balance Evaluation System Test (BESTest): A Pilot Study
Rutugandha Sulay1, Aparna Sadhale2
1PG Student, D. E. Society’s Brijlal Jindal College of Physiotherapy, Pune.
2Principal & Professor, D. E. Society’s Brijlal Jindal College of Physiotherapy, Pune.
Corresponding Author: Rutugandha Sulay
ABSTRACT
Background: Brain is divided into two hemispheres which work together to carry out various functions. However, there are a few functions which are specifically carried out by a particular hemisphere. This is called as ‘hemispheric specialization or lateralization’. Stroke affects a particular hemisphere, thus resulting in loss of the common as well as the specialized functions of that hemisphere. Balance issues are the most commonly seen deficits post-stroke. It is thus important to study whether the side of the stroke has any differentiating effect on the balance deficits. Hence, we compared balance in sub-acute stroke patients with dominant versus non-dominant lobe involvement. Also, Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest) was used in the study, which evaluates balance under various sub-components. This will help in formulating a treatment plan targeting the specific components of balance which were seen to be affected with stroke patients of specific lobe involvement.
Methodology: 24 patients suffering from stroke were selected for the study according the to the inclusion criteria. They were further divided into 2 equal groups depending on the side of involvement: dominant lobe stroke group and non-dominant lobe stroke group. BESTest was administered to both the groups. The scores of both the groups were compared.
Result: Statistical analysis was done using Mann Whitney U test. The difference was found to be significant with lower balance scores in patients with non-dominant lobe stroke.
Conclusion: Balance deficits were found to be more common in stroke patients with non-dominant lobe affection than in those with dominant lobe affection.
Key words: Hemispheric specialization, Stroke, Balance, BESTest (Balance evaluation systems test).