Introduction: Clinical guidelines for physical therapy in patients with stroke recommend performing aquatic therapy to improve balance, mobility, muscle strength and aerobic endurance. Previous systematic reviews have included various methods of aquatic therapy with aquatic exercise equipment. Purpose: The purpose of the diploma work was to review randomized controlled trials in order to establish the effectiveness of aquatic therapy without the use of aquatic exercise equipment to improve motor skills in patients post-stroke. Methods: A literature review of randomized controlled trials was conducted in PubMed and PEDro. Results: Nine randomized controlled trials published between 2004 and 2021 were included in the review. All review studies were assessing the effect of different modes of aquatic therapy to improve balance and mobility, three studies the effect to improve muscle strength and two studies the effect to improve aerobic endurance, compared to standard treatment on dry land. Aquatic therapy was performed alone or in addition to the dry land treatment. The methods of aquatic therapy were different: general aquatic therapy, dual task training for balance and mobility, Halliwick and/or Ai Chi therapy. Aquatic therapy proved to be more effective than dry land therapy to improve balance and mobility in seven of the nine studies, to improve muscle strength in two of the three studies, and to improve aerobic endurance in one of the two studies. Discussion: In seven of the nine studies was demonstrated a significant effectiveness of aquatic therapy to improve motor skills in patients post-stroke, compared to the dry land therapy. Further research with larger sample sizes, evaluation of long-term effects, direct comparison between different types of aquatic therapy, more uniform assessment tools and separately for the subacute and chronic phase after stroke are needed.
|
