The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

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    Balance training after stroke

    Standing balance deficits are common after stroke. One way to address these deficits is to provide feedback from a force platform while balance activities are performed.

    In this study by researchers at the Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital in Turkey, combining balance training (using force platform biofeedback) with a conventional rehabilitation program did not provide additional benefits.

    First, the details.

    • 41 institutionalized older stroke patients with partial paralysis affecting only one side of the body were randomly assigned to treatment.
    • The control group participated in a conventional stroke inpatient rehabilitation program.
    • The experimental group received 15 sessions of balance training (using force platform biofeedback) in addition to the conventional program.

    And, the results.

    • Motor recovery, mobility, and activity level improved significantly in both groups.
    • But there was no difference in improvement between groups.

    The bottom line?
    By comparison, a Cochrane review concluded, “Force platform feedback (visual or auditory) improved stance symmetry but not sway in standing, clinical balance outcomes or measures of independence.”

    6/6/08 22:51 JR

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