LAUSR

BACKGROUND Despite upper limb rehabilitation is widely investigated in patients with stroke, the effects of scapulohumeral rehabilitation on trunk stabillization are mainly unknown. OBJECTIVE To test the effects of scapulohumeral rehabilitation protocol on trunk control recovery in patients with subacute stroke. METHODS A pilot randomized controlled trial with two groups of 14 patients each one performing 20 minutes per day, 5 days a week, for 6 weeks in add on to standard therapy. Experimental group performed a specific scapulohumeral rehabilitation protocol aiming to improve trunk competencies whereas control group performed conventional arm rehabilitation. Clinical scale tests and accelerometric evaluations were performed pre- and post-treatment. RESULTS Experimental groups showed better scores at discharge at Trunk impairment Scale (p < 0.001), Barthel Index (p = 0.024), Trunk Control Test (p = 0.002), Sitting Balance Scale (p = 0.002), but neither at Fugl-Meyer Scale (p = 0.194) nor Modified Ashworth Scale (p = 0.114). Accelerometric analysis showed higher stability of trunk for experimental group especially during static and dynamic items. CONCLUSIONS The recovery of scapulohumeral functions also acts on trunk stabilization post-stroke.