Comparing Task-Specific Training With and Without Biofeedback to Conventional Physical Therapy to Improve Balance and Reduce Falls in Adults With Chronic Ischemic Stroke in Lahore

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effects of task-specific training with and without biofeedback compared to conventional physical therapy on balance and fall risk in patients with chronic ischemic stroke. This randomized controlled trial includes 66 participants from Lahore, Pakistan, aiming to see if biofeedback-enhanced training improves balance and reduces falls more than standard rehabilitation. The study is part of a PhD project and has received ethical approval. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups task-specific training with biofeedback, task-specific training without biofeedback, or conventional stroke rehabilitation. Each group will attend 36 one-hour sessions over 12 weeks, three times per week, carried out by qualified physiotherapists. The biofeedback group will receive real-time cues during functional balance and mobility tasks, while the other groups will follow similar training without feedback or standard therapy. Throughout the study, participants will be assessed at the start, immediately after the 12-week intervention, and again three months later. Evaluations include the Berg Balance Scale to measure balance performance, the Timed Up and Go test to assess fall risk, and the Barthel Index for daily living activities. Data analysts and assessors will be blinded to group assignments to ensure unbiased results. Participants will be monitored for safety and adherence during sessions.

Effect Of Task-Specific Training With And Without Biofeedback On Balance And Risk Of Falls In Chronic Ischemic Stroke Patients Of Central Lahore, Pakistan