Chosen assessment methods of physiotherapy effects in patients after cerebral stroke treated at a rehabilitation ward

Grzegorz Przysada
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Agnieszka Guzik
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Andżelina Wolan-Nieroda
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Katarzyna Walicka-Cupryś
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Institute of Physiotherapy, Medical Department, University of Rzeszow, Rzeszów, Poland
Department of Physiotherapy, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszow, Rzeszow, Poland
Institute of Health Sciences, Medical College University of Rzeszów, Rzeszow, Poland
Institute of Physiotherapy, Medical Faculty, University of Rzeszow, Rzeszów, Poland

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to assess the methods used for analyzing patient condition and physical therapy effects in a group of patients after cerebral stroke who were treated at a rehabilitation ward. We also analyzed the extent to which several assessment scales of patient condition are mutually correlated; and therefore to what extent these scales are reliable and useful in assessment of physiotherapy effects of those patients.

Material and method. The study population consisted of 1124 patients after cerebral stroke. The mean age of patients at the time of undergoing physical therapy was 64.3 years ± 12.6, while the mean time that had passed since stroke was 24.2 months. To assess patient condition we used the Brunnström approach, the Barthel ADL index and general ability and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. We set statistical significance at p>0.05. 

Results. We found that study population patients improved after physical therapy. The improvement was revealed in each of the tests of physical ability we used. We found the greatest mean value of improvement when we used the Barthel ADL index (3.25). We found no improvement in 4.6% of patients with the tests and scales we used; while in 43.4% of patients the improvement was revealed by all three kinds of physical ability measurement methods. We found a mediocre correlation of the Brunnström approach test with the two remaining tests.

Conclusions. Multi-approach and complex physical therapy, run by a team of physiotherapists, results in significant improvement of patients after cerebral stroke. The improvement was found in all physical ability measurement methods we used. The Brunnström approach, the Barthel ADL index, and the general ability test that are used for assessing patient condition of those who suffered from cerebral stroke, were mutually correlated to a mediocre extent. This proves that they measure different aspects of human health. Several different health assessment methods need to be used simultaneously, so that an objective and extensive assessment can be made of both the treatment effect and the changes in the physiotherapeutic process.

 

Cite

Przysada G, Guzik A, Wolan-Nieroda A, Walicka-Cupryś K, Drużbicki M. Chosen assessment methods of physiotherapy effects in patients after cerebral stroke treated at a rehabilitation ward. Prz Med Uniw Rzesz Inst Leków 2015; 13 (3): 212–222. doi: 10.15584/przmed.2015.3.2

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