Comparison of effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation technique and lower limb robotics on lower limb motor function and automatic balance function in post-stroke patients / 中国康复医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the characteristics and differences in clinical efficacy of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation(PNF)and lower limb robotics in improving lower limb motor function,walking speed,and auto-matic balance function in stroke patients. Method:Seventy-two stroke patients with hemiplegia who met the criteria were randomly assigned to the con-ventional group(n=25),PNF group(n=24),and lower limb robotics group(n=23).The treatment lasted for 4 weeks.Before and after treatment,the Fugl-Meyer assessment lower extremity scale(FMA-LE),10m maxi-mum walking speed test(MWS),and neuro com balance manager system were used to evaluate lower limb movement function,walking speed and automatic balance function. Result:After 4 weeks of treatment,the FMA-LE score of PNF group was significantly better than that of conventional group(P＜0.05)and lower limb robotics group(P-0.001),the MWS score in the lower limb ro-botics group was significantly better than that in the conventional group(P＜0.05)and the PNF group(P=0.001),and the MWS score in the PNF group was significantly better than that in the conventional group(P＜0.05).The lower limb robotics group showed significantly better scores in the reaction time,movement veloci-ty,endpoint travel distance,maximum excursions and directional control index score than the conventional group(P＜0.05)and the PNF group(P＜0.05),while the directional control index score in the PNF group was significantly better than that in the conventional group(P=0.049). Conclusion:Manual PNF therapy and lower limb robotics training have their own clinical efficacy in stroke patients,with PNF technique being more effective in improving lower limb motor function,while lower limb robotics have an advantage in automatic balance function and walking speed.