The research paper had 5 objectives: (1) to check the effects of balance and coordination workout on acute and chronic fatigue of people in the chronic phase after stroke, (2) to check the effects of balance and coordination workout on persistence and the highest isometric strength of people in the chronic phase after stroke, (3) to check the effects of balance and coordination workout on the speed of the moving the whole body and the speed of a simple movement of people in the chronic phase after stroke, (4) to check the effects of balance and coordination workout on static and dynamic balance of people in the chronic phase after stroke and (5) to find out the connection between the change of exhaustion and the change of physical capacities due to balance and coordination workout that was performed in the chronic phase after stroke.
Sixteen people recovering from stroke participated in the research. People who were in the chronic phase after stroke (2-5 years) were divided into two groups, experimental and control group. There were nine participants in the experimental group and seven in the control group. To check the chronic fatigue, we used a 9-item questionnaire – Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). To check the acute fatigue, we used visual analogue scale (VAS). The highest speed was measured during the 10 metres walk. Functional capacity during the walk was checked with the six-minute walk test. The power of plantar flexors and dorsiflexors of foot was measured with the highest isometric muscle contraction of these muscles. The speed of simple hand and leg movements was measured with the number of touches of a target that was on the table (tapping with the hand) or on the floor (tapping with foot). The balance was monitored by observing the stand in different sensor conditions and adjusted t-test.
The results of our research showed a trend of chronic fatigue reduction in experimental group or after the coordination and balance workout (p<0,07), while the acute fatigue change after a six-minute walk test was statistically non-significant. With the help of objective results and coefficients we got the indicated tendency that the balance and coordination workout positively affected the patients after the stroke and reduced the occurrence of exhaustion.
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