Efficacy of Bilateral Lower-Limb Training Over Unilateral Lower-Limb Training To Reeducate Balance and Walking in Post-Stroke Survivors: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background and objective While designing the rehabilitation regime of a hemiplegic patient, most physiotherapists focus on the affected/hemiparetic side. The less affected/unaffected side remains unused and loses its properties, i.e., muscle strength, girth, balance, and gait, thus causing deconditioning effects in patients' overall rehabilitation. To enhance the recovery process, the focus should be drawn to training both sides equally to fasten the recovery process. The rationale behind designing this study was to maintain the integrity of the unaffected side along with rehabilitation of the affected side in hemiplegic patients. Many proven studies focus on bimanual upper-limb training in post-stroke survivors, but there is a lack of literature regarding the same in the lower limbs. This clinical trial was designed to study the effect of bilateral lower-limb training over unilateral lower-limb training on balance and walking in post-stroke survivors. Methods 40 hemiplegic patients were selected and randomly divided into two groups: Group A (unilateral training group (UTG)) and Group B (bilateral training group (BTG)). Patients in Group A underwent approach-oriented training using the motor relearning program (MRP) and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) for the affected side, while those in Group B underwent strength training for the lower-limb muscles using DeLorme's principle for the unaffected side and approach-oriented training using the MRP and PNF for the affected side for a period of six weeks, five days per week. A strengthening regimen was designed for the unaffected side, considering the frequency, intensity, time, and type (FITTs) principle provided by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). The static and dynamic balance along with gait parameters were measured using the functional reach test (FRT), one-leg stance test (OLST), Berg balance scale (BBS), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), gait parameters (stride length, gait velocity, and cadence), and Brunnstrom recovery stages (BRS) at the baseline and post rehabilitation. Results Both groups significantly improved following therapy (p<0.05). Group B showed more significant results both statistically and clinically. The enhancement in the FRT (2.25, p<0.03), OLST (5.12. p<0.0001), BBS (0.68, p<0.020), and DGI (1.70, p<0.030) scores indicated improvement in static and dynamic balance in the two groups. Patients showed improvement in the stereotyped sequence of movements indicating recovery on the BRS (4.62, p<0.0001). The overall gait parameters in patients, i.e., gait velocity (6.78, p<0.0001), stride length (3.59, p<0.001) and cadence (6.15, p<0.0001), improved post rehabilitation. Conclusion The results of this study showed that the BTG had positive impacts on the postural balance and walking capacities of subacute hemiparetic stroke patients, promoting early recovery in comparison to the UTG. This study also helped to design a strengthening protocol for the unaffected side according to DeLorme's principle in line with the FITTs principle.